Bill O’Brien Hits the Road
The arrival of our May/June issue means we’re well into work on our July/August edition. Among the features we’re working on is a profile of Bill O’Brien, who just wrapped up his first spring practice. I’m in the midst of reporting that one, a task that so far has included a 6:30 a.m. interview with O’Brien in his office; anyone who knows me knows the scheduled time must’ve been his idea.
Busy as he’s been, O’Brien has found time to do plenty of interviews. He’s spoken repeatedly since his hiring about the importance to reaching out to Penn State alumni and fans, and making himself available to reporters is only part of that plan. Starting next week, he’ll take his show on the road.
On Monday, O’Brien will lead the Penn State Coaches Caravan on a nine-day, 18-city tour throughout Pennsylvania and surrounding states. I’m fortunate to have a spot on the bus for the first leg of the caravan, which starts next week with a Monday lunch gathering in Philadelphia and includes stops in Drexel Hill, Pa., Baltimore, Washington D.C., Richmond, Va., and Harrisburg. And that’s just the first three days; the next two weeks will include stops in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Ohio, and elsewhere in Pennsylvania.
I’ll be blogging from early stops on the caravan, which will feature O’Brien at every stop and appearances from additional Penn State coaches. If you’re not already signed up for one of the stops, you can register and find more information here. A few are at capacity, but tickets are still available for most of the events.
Ryan Jones, senior editor
On Its Way: Our May/June Issue
President Rodney Erickson on the cover of our latest issue.
Describing something as “normal” isn’t always a good thing.
But on the heels of two special, emotional issues — the Jan./Feb. coverage of the Sandusky scandal and the March/April tribute to Joe Paterno — our staff will tell you that the latest Penn Stater is a welcome return to business as usual.
Though that’s not to say the May/June 2012 issue, which is already hitting mailboxes, is boring: There’s an in-depth Q&A with new Penn State president Rodney Erickson, who talks candidly about the challenges he’s faced since November; a feature about a breakthrough in leukemia research, discovered by two Penn State scientists; and a fun collection of concert memories submitted by our readers.
Plus, you’ll find all the regular stories you may have missed these past few months.
Let us know when you receive your copy. And as always, let us know what you think.
Mary Murphy, associate editor
A Dry Run for a New Era
It was, in many ways, like any other Blue-White Saturday. Tailgaters crowded into the lots around Beaver Stadium, and the fans who made it into the building came hoping the rain would hold off, and wondering if an obvious starting quarterback would emerge. But there were plenty of signs, both inside the stadium and out, of just how different this year’s spring football game was.
Walking up through the paved lots across Curtain Road, I saw a banner towering over a tailgate bearing the message “Joe Deserved Better.” Not far from there, a table was set up with stickers and flyers promoting a few of the 86 candidates for this year’s Board of Trustees race. Inside, the rules for the scrimmage promised a new and novel scoring system — two points for an “explosive” play of 15 yards or more, and defensive scoring opportunities (six points for a turnover, four for a sack) — meant to increase the game’s competitiveness. And of course, there was the big guy in the ball cap and sweats pacing the sideline, Penn State’s new man in charge.
It is, as we knew it would be, a new day for the Nittany Lions.
Ultimately, we didn’t learn much in the defense’s 77-65 “win” that’ll mean much this fall. The quarterbacks remain a work in progress (though backups Shane McGregor and especially Paul Jones both showed signs that they’ll make the race interesting), and there’s no telling just how tight a grasp these players have of the potentially potent pro-style offense that Bill O’Brien brought with him from the New England Patriots. Those answers won’t come until the fall. What was clear is that Penn Staters’ passion for their program shows no signs of having waned. That’s not surprising, really, but it was still something we hadn’t had a chance to actually see.
What we saw Saturday: An estimated 60,000 people made their way into Beaver Stadium for a scrimmage, on an afternoon when the forecast called for day-long rain. The clouds lingered, but not until well after the game ended and the stadium was empty did the rain start to fall.
Ryan Jones, senior editor
Alumni Meet the Board of Trustees Candidates
Editor Tina Hay took this photo of the Meet the Candidates event. A steady stream of alumni attended during the two-hour session before the Blue White game.
There was a guy with a clipboard taking notes. A few people who drove to campus for Blue White Weekend not to attend the football game, but to ask questions of some of the 86 candidates for the three open alumni seats on the Board of Trustees. And 60 of the candidates themselves, talking Saturday morning about issues facing Penn State, everything from the state appropriation to the treatment of Joe Paterno to the fact that a particularly important job that the next Board of Trustees will soon undertake is hiring the university’s next president.
I spent the morning at the Alumni Association’s Meet the Candidates event at the IM Building, and I came away impressed by the dedication of the candidates. (I tried to talk to each of them; I may have missed a few.) There were a lot of ideas in the room, and I’m hoping that although there will be 83 candidates who won’t join the board, that there’s a way to harness that energy and willingness to serve.
Many of the candidates said that reconnecting with other alumni—either to discuss issues or remember old times on campus or to simply explain how to request a ballot—has been a particularly valuable and enjoyable part of the process, which of course started because of dissatisfaction and dismay over how Penn State and the trustees handled the Sandusky scandal and aftermath.
The event attracted about 250 people–including Board of Trustees chair Karen Peetz and vice chair Keith Masser, who stayed for the entire time. About 37,000 more have read the candidates’ responses to our Three Questions project, which will remain available through the election. Voting is continuing through May 3, so there’s still plenty of time to make your decision.
Lori Shontz, senior editor
Peetz, Erickson Answer Questions from Alumni Council
Six months after the Sandusky scandal broke, there are still questions. Lots of them. And, as Penn State president Rodney Erickson told Alumni Council, “There may be some questions we’ll never have answers for.”
That said, Erickson and Karen Peetz, chair of the Board of Trustees, answered as many as they could Friday afternoon from members of Alumni Council. They touched on everything from the relationship between the trustees and the president (something they agreed is not well enough understood) to what Peetz called “the super-positive of the enduring spirit of Penn Staters.” And they fielded several questions about Joe Paterno, including one that’s been asked at just about every opportunity: When and how will Penn State honor its late football coach?
Peetz said, as she has previously, that Penn State must wait until the Freeh report, more formally known as the findings of the trustees’ special investigations task force, before moving forward on plans to honor Paterno. She called the upcoming report “the ultimate in transparency.”
Former FBI director Louis Freeh was hired by the trustees just weeks after the scandal and charged with looking into all of the issues surrounding the scandal since. His findings—which Peetz said will not be edited by the board—are expected in August or September.
The task force does not have subpoena power. But Peetz said she spoke with Freeh’s investigators for three hours, that more than 200 people have been interviewed, and that Freeh is working with the state attorney general. “These people are not kidding around,” she said. “This is the FBI incarnate, and I don’t think anyone’s lying, I’ll tell you that.” (more…)
Yes, That was a Mule on the HUB Lawn
A constant flow of visitors peering from the Bell Tower, tug-of-war outside Old Main, and a mule grazing the grass of the HUB lawn.
It was a unique day at Penn State, indeed.
Wednesday was the annual Old Main Open House, a day to celebrate Penn State’s history. The event — which also featured free food, arts and crafts and guided tours of Old Main — was hosted by the Lion Ambassadors. When I stopped by at 3 p.m., there were about 75 visitors mulling around the area, taking in the partly sunny April afternoon.
As visitors waited for their guided tours — highlighted by a trip up to the Bell Tower for a scenic view of campus and downtown — they munched on free popcorn and frozen ices.
At 4, President Rodney Erickson opened his doors for a one-hour office hour session. Students could stop by to talk about anything — or just get to know the president.
Visitors also participated in tug-of-war, cider scrap, and push ball scrap — better known as scrap games. It’s OK if you don’t know what scrap game are. I needed a brush up on the term, as well. Between 1885-1916, freshmen and sophomores would duke it out for bragging rights in a series of competitive games. Among the visitors who seemed to enjoy the revival of the competitions was the Nittany Lion, who apparently participated in a few games of tug-of-war before I arrived.
This year’s Open House featured some new surprises — notably Boomer, the soon-to-be 6-year-old mini mule who hung out by the HUB and was impersonating Old Coaly, Penn State’s first mascot. She and her handler made the 3-hour, 45-minute drive from Butler County the morning of the event.
After I said hello to “Old Coaly,” a tour group walked by. What appeared to be the younger sibling of a prospective student turned to his father and asked, “Do they always have a mule hanging around here?”
Emily Kaplan, intern
Happy Birthday to the All-Sports Museum
There’s no shortage of things to do in Happy Valley this weekend. The annual Blue-White Game on Saturday is the big draw, of course, and on Friday, the university will officially break ground on the site of the Pegula Ice Arena. But there’s also an anniversary to celebrate.
The Penn State All-Sports Museum opened its doors in 2002, and the museum — located at the southwest corner of Beaver Stadium — is celebrating its 10-year milestone this weekend. From 6:30 to 9 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, the museum will host tours, and feature kid-friendly activities, games, films and refreshments. Click here for more information.
Ryan Jones, senior editor
Remembering ‘the Heart’ of the Scandal
When news of the Sandusky scandal broke in November, student Matt Bodenschatz felt an immediate connection with the alleged victims. A survivor of sexual abuse himself, Bodenschatz knows the courage it takes to come forward — and wanted to thank the young men for their bravery.
“Even though they’re anonymous, they’re real people,” he says. “They need our compassion and support.”
This spring, with 12 fellow students, Bodenschatz conceived Voices for Victims, a project that allows supporters to send messages of thanks and comfort to Sandusky’s alleged victims. The letters will be delivered directly to the individuals through their lawyers to maintain anonymity.
“It’s a tangible sign that we’re thankful they came forward,” says Bodenschatz. “And despite all the other issues, we remember that they’re at the heart of this thing.”
Starting Monday, April 23, through Friday, April 27, messages for the alleged victims can be placed in designated dropboxes on campus and throughout downtown State College at the following locations:
—Student Bookstore, 330 E. College Avenue
—Campus Candy, 346 E. College Avenue
—McLanahan’s Downtown Market, 116 Allen Street
—Hintz Family Alumni Center
—Health Services building lobby
—Penn State Learning Lab, Room 7, Sparks building
Letters can also be mailed to:
Voices for Victims
1637-B N. Atherton Street
PO Box 181
State College, PA 16803
Or emailed to:
Voices4VictimsProject@gmail.com
Mary Murphy, associate editor
Cool Shots of the Space Shuttle Over D.C.
The Space Shuttle Discovery gave Washington, D.C., residents quite the photo op yesterday. The retired orbiter flew on the back of a NASA 747 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida up to Dulles Airport, where it will have a permanent home next door at the Udvar-Hazy Center, part of the National Air and Space Museum. But before heading to Dulles, it flew a few passes over the nation’s capital.
Maxwell Kruger ’09, whose photography we featured in the magazine a few years ago when he was still a student, got himself up on a rooftop for the flyover. You can see one result of his efforts above, and more at this blog entry.
Tina Hay, editor
For Coquese Washington, an Emotional Renewal of Vows
Coquese Washington held a press conference Monday afternoon. It came on short notice and without a stated purpose, but after reports last week that Washington had interviewed for the vacant head coach position at Michigan, it seemed obvious she was going to clarify her job status. Given that there were no rumors trickling out of Ann Arbor—and that it would be a joint press conference with Penn State acting athletic director Dave Joyner—the local media consensus was that Washington was staying put.
We guessed right on that. What none of us predicted was the emotion with which she explained her decision.
In 20 minutes at the Bryce Jordan Center media room, Washington repeatedly used words like family, community, and values. She invoked patriotism, Susan B. Anthony, and Dr. Martin Luther King. She re-confirmed her commitment to Penn State in dramatic and emphatic fashion.
Fresh off her fifth season as coach of the Lady Lions, with a Big Ten championship and NCAA Sweet 16 run recently added to her resume, Washington has confirmed the high expectations that came with her hiring. Her success understandably meant other big-time programs might try to pry her away, and while Michigan hasn’t traditionally been very strong in women’s basketball, the Wolverines’ overall athletic success—and the fact that Washington is a Michigan native—meant folks were taking this seriously.
Ultimately, Washington told reporters, we had nothing to worry about. And while she and Joyner acknowledged (without getting specific) that the coach’s contract would reflect her status was one of the most respected young coaches in the nation, Washington said money wasn’t the issue. She said much of what you might expect her to say, about how Penn State felt like home, about her loyalty to her players and staff. But she also made an indirect reference to the fallout from the Sandusky scandal, and when I asked her to clarify—if she didn’t want to be seen as running out on the university in a time of crisis— Washington’s reply was intense.
Speaking of how she’d seen Penn Staters rally in the wake of the scandal, Washington said:
…I see a university that is going to elevate itself because we’re willing to look at ourselves, examine ourselves, at a time, maybe not our best time, but we’re willing to say, “Is this the best that we can do for Penn State alums? Is this the best that we can do academically? Is this the best we can do for the community that supports us so well? Is this the best that we can do for higher education in the country?” That inspired me. That inspired me to be here and to stay here and to make myself and this program the best that it can be because we’re around people who take that challenge head on and we’re going to be better because of it. So, to answer your question, absolutely it was a consideration. Absolutely.
You can read the entire press conference transcript here. And you can count on Coquese Washington being around for a while.
Ryan Jones, senior editor
Subscribe
