For the eighth consecutive year, students from the College of Communications will give those who cannot attend the annual Penn State Dance Marathon an opportunity to experience the 46-hour event with a live webcast.
Nearly 40 students have already begun preparation for a webcast of the two-day dance marathon, known as THON. The webcast will include live coverage as well as 10 three-minute "behind the scenes" features that will air during times of low-activity. These features will explore topics such as THON's history, involvement at Commonwealth Campuses and profiles of different fundraising organizations. (more)
A challenging state budget outlook caused by a continued soft economic recovery and lagging revenue collections emerged from Harrisburg today (Feb. 7) as Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett presented a new state spending plan for the 2012-13 fiscal year that includes a second year of broad cuts proposed for public higher education. The governor proposed a 30 percent across the board cut in general support for the three major state-related universities -- Penn State, Temple and Pitt. Specifically for Penn State the proposed 30 percent cut of $64 million drops Penn State's general support line from $214 million to $150 million. Funding for the Pennsylvania College of Technology remains flat at $13.5 million for a total proposed appropriation of $163.5 million. (more)
Alumnus Jerry Rizzo has turned his social media skills and an aggressive approach into a full-time job coordinating social media efforts for the Philadelphia 76ers. Now Rizzo, who graduated in 2011 with a degree in public relations, is demonstrating his broad skill set as the social media coordinator for the Philadelphia 76ers. He manages everything regarding the team's online presence, and Rizzo is hoping to re-energize the Philadelphia basketball community through his work on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Flickr and YouTube. Rizzo created a lot of buzz in December when he landed a job with the Sixers after he and friend, Hunter Coleman, who earned his Penn State degree in kinesiology in 2011, took it upon themselves to promote the team's new mascot contest. (more)
Children of deployed U.S. military members face a number of stressful issues, and teachers in Pennsylvania's schools often need to lend special support to those children and their families. Penn State and Operation: Military Kids provide teachers and others who work with military families with the training they need to address these unique challenges. Learn how Penn State is guiding teachers as they help children cope on the home front. Penn State for PA (PSU4PA) tells the stories of Pennsylvania residents whose businesses and communities have been transformed by Penn State teaching, research and service. (more)
Penn State scientists in the College of Agricultural Sciences have developed an inspiring collaboration that may cure leukemia. Sandeep Prabhu, associate professor of immunology and molecular toxicology in the Department of Veterinary and Medical Sciences, specializes in the health benefits of fish oil. Robert Paulson, associate professor of veterinary and biomedical sciences, is studying the stem cells that cause leukemia. They connected their seemingly separate study areas during a weekly faculty lunch. The result? A possible cure for leukemia. To watch the video about their inspiring collaboration, visit http://live.psu.edu/youtube/r-1VmeJAtWI online. To read more about their collaborative work, visit http://live.psu.edu/story/56944 online. (more)
Heart disease is still the No. 1 killer of women, but 80 percent of heart disease is preventable. If a woman can keep her risks for cardiac disease low before the age of 50, then there is a good chance she can avoid heart disease. Lifestyle changes to help prevent heart disease are worthwhile at any age, but are certainly more beneficial if begun early in life. The American Heart Association has proposed seven steps to help reduce your lifetime risk of heart disease. (more)
The three-decades-old initiative to restore American chestnut trees back into forests in the eastern United States has entered a new phase, according to an expert in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. The primary focus of the project has transitioned from cross-breeding to testing and reintroduction into forests, noted Sara Fitzsimmons, northcentral region science coordinator for the American Chestnut Foundation and a research support technologist in Penn State's School of Forest Resources. It may take centuries until American chestnut again grows wild across its original range -- from Maine to Georgia and west to Indiana and Michigan, she said. Still, Fitzsimmons envisions a day when the huge trees again will dominate the forests of Pennsylvania and other states. (more)
For the second year in a row, Penn State has been ranked 20th on the Peace Corps' 2012 rankings of colleges and universities in the large school category. There are currently 65 Penn State undergraduate alumni serving overseas, an increase from last year's 58 volunteers.
"It's exciting to me that students at Penn State have a strong interest in participating in service opportunities," said Nellie Bhattarai, Penn State Peace Corps recruiter. "Peace Corps takes the skills and personality of an individual and uses it to impact others in a community-oriented manner." (more)
The Penn State Board of Trustees on Jan. 20 selected seven Penn State alumni to receive the Distinguished Alumni Award, the University's highest award for an individual. The 2012 Distinguished Alumni are Norman W. Barton, Harold E. Cheatham, Peter J. Cocoziello, Earl K. Harbaugh, Joan Dawson McConnon, Robert D. Metzgar and Thomas J. Ridge. (more)
Legendary Penn State football Coach Joe Paterno passed away today (Jan. 22) after announcing that he was diagnosed with lung cancer. Paterno was 85. The following statement has been issued by the Penn State Board of Trustees and University President Rodney Erickson:
We grieve for the loss of Joe Paterno, a great man who made us a greater university. His dedication to ensuring his players were successful both on the field and in life is legendary and his commitment to education is unmatched in college football. His life, work and generosity will be remembered always. The University plans to honor him for his many contributions and to remember his remarkable life and legacy. We are all deeply saddened. (more)
