Still Life

With four guide ropes attached to it, the east-side clock face is raised into position. While it didn't seem that windy on the ground on Saturday, Jan. 28, winds higher up were strong, requiring extra guidance to bring the clock face safely to the Old Main bell tower.

Old Main clock faces installed

Ben White of New Vibrations Audio and Video works on a ledge of the Old Main bell tower, to remove the speakers from the old chime system. The company installed a new carillon system today (Jan. 27) that will play a digital recording made of the original Old Main bell that now sits adjacent to Old Main and other bells of comparable sizes.

New carillon, restored clocks being installed

The funeral procession for Joe Paterno made its way past Beaver Stadium and down Porter Road as crowds applauded on Jan. 25. Thousands lined the procession route through the University Park campus and downtown State College to bid a last farewell to Joe Paterno.

Joe Paterno's funeral procession

Coach Joe Paterno was on the field for the first half of the Nittany Lions' football game. Penn State beat the Iowa Hawkeyes 13-3 on Oct. 8, 2011, in front of an enthusiastic crowd at Beaver Stadium.

Joe Paterno through the years

Katie Knobloch and Andrew Adamietz, members of the a capella group Blue in the Face, shared a candle at the vigil held Sunday, Jan. 22, to mourn the death of Penn State football coach Joe Paterno, who passed away earlier in the day. Several thousand members of the Penn State and State College community came out to the Old Main lawn on Penn State's University Park campus for the vigil.

Thousands mourn Paterno's passing

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Students Stories: Ag student leads national champ rugby team

Thursday, September 17, 2009
Lauren Rusert
Lauren Rusert

Lauren Rusert has always been an athlete, but after years of softball, soccer, cross-country running and even men's wrestling, she decided to try something new. Now a senior majoring in Agricultural and Extension Education, Rusert showed up for Penn State women's rugby Rookie Day during the fall of her freshman year to check out the team.

Little did she know that three years later during her junior year she would be named an All-American athlete on a national championship team that would take her to England, Wales, France and Spain over the course of her undergraduate career.

"At first when I saw my name on the list of All-Americans, I was in shock. I couldn't believe it, it seemed surreal," she said.

Last August, Rusert wrote a list of goals, one of which was to become an All-American. "To actually accomplish that goal felt really great."

The Penn State women's rugby team has played in nine national championship games since 2000 and won four of them. Rusert contributed to the 2007 and 2009 national titles. "I feel really privileged and honored to be on such a great team, which helped me get the status of an All-American and made it possible to go to the national championship several times," she said.

Penn State was a long haul from Rusert's hometown of Windsor, Calif. "I chose Penn State because it is a very well-rounded school," she explained.

After a friend from high school came to Penn State, majored in Animal Sciences and sang the University’s praises, Rusert was hooked. "I started in Animal Sciences as well, and I wanted to be away from home at least for my undergrad years so I could experience a different lifestyle. Penn State was a great fit."

After college rugby, Rusert is not sure if she'll continue playing, but she plans to stay involved with the sport. In the meantime, she has found a new passion off the field working in a honeybee lab on campus and is considering pursuing a graduate program centered on honeybee research.

"The College of Ag Sciences is the most close-knit college at Penn State, everyone is so friendly and it is easy to get to know people, plus there are a lot of ways to get involved, " she said.

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