From:
Hazleton, PA

YR:
Sophomore

Why PSU?
It was right next to my house!

What do you do for fun?
Rock climb, cliff jump and bungee jump.

Scariest thing you’ve done?
Sky dive.

Do you like traveling? Where?
Love to travel to the Middle Ease. Gaze City especially!

Something you want others to know about you?
I’d like to become President of the United States of America/

What would you change if you were President?
Not to change, but to fix. I would fix the broken education and welfare system and help lower income families with the high costs of education.

Changes have come to the library in the form of 136 new chairs. When asked to describe these new chairs, head librarian Valerie Lynn says the library “decided to go with a wood maple back finish to match the Knowledge Commons redesign color scheme which incorporates maple wood to brighten the library’s physical space. We selected a blue pattern fabric with a high rub count for durability.”

As Lynn notes, these changes were carefully thought out, as part of the Knowledge Commons. As the PSU Collegian previously re- ported, the Knowledge Commons process was started last summer. Library staff spent the summer months culling the library collection to address issues of currency and space in preparation for the massive changes the Knowledge Commons will bring.

“These chairs have wheels for greater mobility,” Lynn says adding this is done to allow students to work collaboratively in the new spaces envisioned by the changes.

In the future, perhaps as close as the Fall 2013 semester, there will be further changes in the form of tables.

“The new tables also have 2 wheels and 2 glides that will en- able students to move them around to create their own learning environments,” Lynn adds,

In the face of such progress, one might wonder where the old chairs have gone. Library staff, in efforts to be as environmentally friendly as possible, recycled the chairs that have served the campus since 1972. After being such a fixture of the library landscape for so long, one student said they were excited for the changes. After her departure from campus last spring, Kelly Pandolpho, a junior at University Park, said she “wants to see the new library” that she passed so much time in while at Hazleton.

The library is an active place on campus and students should keep a look out for more changes ahead.

From the dancing to the tears, THON 2013 was filled with emo- tions only those who experienced it live can understand.

It seems like everyone who was involved in THON weekend has the same one word response when asked to describe the weekend, “amazing.” THON dancers Leeann Tufaro, Megan McGee, Gabiela Herrera, and Mike Bailey all danced for 46 hours during THON weekend representing the small but big hearted campus of Hazleton.

Tufaro, along with her three fellow Hazlethon members, loved having a chance to interact with the children at THON for the chance to raise enough money to find a cure for pediatric cancer.

Audrianna Bartol lost her battle with cancer just hours before the start of THON. But she and the other fallen angels drove other Penn Staters to get to the stands of the Bryce Jordan Center and dance FTK, (for the kids.) McGee, 22, dedicated her weekend to Audrianna.

“Audrianna, one of our pen pals, was my biggest motivation. She suffered so much, so THON weekend was my turn to suffer,” McGee said.

On the bright side of things, Bailey described his favorite mo- ment of the weekend was when it was almost over.

“The end was the best. Not only was the band Go Go Gadget amazing, but to see the total earnings wowed me,” Bailey said.

THON raised $12,374,034.46.

“It was completely worth it!” Tufaro said.

Many say the first time at THON is the toughest but Tufaro wouldn’t take anything back.

“I went into THON knowing exactly why I was there, FTK; that was my motivation along with my nephew. He’s 2 years-old and that’s usually the age that most children are diagnosed with certain types of cancer. And my moraler kept me going and active; she was amazing!” Tufaro said.

A moraler is a THON dancer’s ultimate support system. This is a person who the dancer can rely on during THON weekend and help them if any problems arise.

So is the experience any different when on the stands rather than on the dance floor? Yokasta Lara, a sophomore, said she looks up to all the THON dancers who were there.

“Every time I saw my good friend Gaby Herrera, I would jump up to get her energy pumping,” Lara said. “My motivation for dancing may be a little different than the dancers on the dance floor, I danced of course FTK, but I danced to energize the dancers and to keep them motivated because they are the ones who motivate the Penn State Hershey Medical Center families to never give up the fight.”

Thinking about being a THON dancer next year? Listen to the THON professionals like Herrera.

“If I could change one thing about the weekend I would change nothing, but if I could change something about my preparation for THON, I would have exercised more to prevent the pain in my legs and feet.”

So get in shape because who knows, maybe you’ll be dancing on behalf of Penn State Hazleton for THON 2014.