Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020 ARE YOU READY?...leaving the responsibility to navigate the advice on her. “Sometimes it is hard to have conflicting opinions from both advisers and I [end

By Benjamin FerreeThe Daily Collegian

While the Big Ten’s Chancellors and Presidents met last weekend to determine the fate of the Big Ten college football season for the third time, James Franklin was anything but patient.

Franklin was at home, watch-ing college football games from around the country, waiting for a decision from the conference on Sunday, then Monday — but he wouldn’t get one until Wednesday morning.

“I harassed [athletic direc-tor] Sandy [Barbour] with prob-ably 45 text messages and phone calls about trying to kind of figure out what’s going on,” Franklin said. “Patience is not one of my strengths.”

Penn State Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Sandy Barbour, had a very different weekend than Franklin, as she was part of the discussion to de-termine if the conference would return to the gridiron this fall.

“I spent most of my time on both Saturday and Sunday on Zoom calls with the medical sub-committee, with members of the Big Ten staff and with members of the Council of Chancellors and Presidents,” Barbour said.

And ultimately for Barbour, the idea to watch college football in-between meetings was some-thing she considered, but really only one thing was one the leader of Penn State Athletics’ mind.

“It was Big Ten football or bust,” Barbour said. “That’s what was going on for me this weekend.”

Big Ten football will return the weekend of Oct. 23-24 with a nine game schedule, putting an end to a saga that saw the conference

plan to play, cancel and now play again.

“It’s a great decision. It’s great for us on a number of fronts,” Barbour said. “The decision was guided by science, by medicine and by data as it always has been. Those things have guided every decision that we’ve made in this conference.”

For Franklin, it feels good to finally have an answer for his student-athletes and their parents.

“I think the challenge through this whole process is, we didn’t know what was going on...,” F r a n k l i n said. “Part of leader-ship 101 is to provide an-swers to the ques-tions that my parents and my players have, but there’s just times that I didn’t have the answers.”

While Barbour shares the ex-citement for the program to re-turn, she is also proud of the work Penn State athletes have done off the field, using their voices to advocate for a season.

“[The student-athletes] sac-rificed a lot to get to this point,” Barbour said. “They’ve been proud of the way that they’ve ad-vocated on behalf of their ability to play.

“They’ve advocated for them-selves, used their voices and I’m thrilled that they get an opportunity to play a game they love.”

But the players’ voices alone weren’t what led from just three Big Ten leaders voting to play on Aug. 11 to a unanimous decision

on Wednesday.According to Barbour, who was

a member of the Big Ten’s medi-cal subcommittee, it was new in-formation and developments in the medical community that led to the season occuring.

“It’s always been about put-ting together a plan and a path forward and to do whatever it is safe and recommended by the medical experts,” Barbour said.

The biggest of these medi-cal changes was testing for the coronavirus.

The Big Ten will conduct daily antigen testing,

something that just wasn’t possible a month ago.

Barbour said on Aug. 11, one

company would be able to secure

the required, rapid re-sult tests, but now in Sept.

there were four companies that could provide these tests to the conference.

And after discussing these changes with the leaders of the Big Ten, Barbour was impressed with their openness to the new information.

“I don’t think if being presented with the same information, their mind would’ve been in the exact same place,” Barbour said. “I think the testing protocols, the availability of testing, the differ-ent kinds of tests. I think there was a lot of information that has changed.”

The Big Ten will also have “comprehensive” cardiac testing for its student-athletes and will need to receive clearance from a cardiologist after testing positive for the coronavirus.

The earliest a student-athlete could return to game competition

after a positive diagnosis for the coronavirus is 21 days.

“The medical experts needed to talk through the cardiac pro-tocol and frankly, come up with an abundance of caution and put together a protocol that would meet or exceed the Chancellor’s and President’s need for cer-tainty around long-term health considerations,” Barbour said.

But just because Big Ten foot-ball will return with new medical and improved medical protocols, it doesn’t mean everything will go smoothly.

***This decision from the Big Ten

comes as coronavirus cases con-tinue to surge in college towns across the country, including State College.

Last Tuesday, Centre County reported 212 cases of the corona-virus, a new single day record. In total, as of the 15th, the country has reported more cases in Sep-tember than in March through August combined.

As of Sept. 17, Penn State has reported 1,145 positives cases of the coronavirus since it started testing students on Aug. 8.

In just the week of Sept. 4-10, Penn State reported 646 new coronavirus cases.

Penn State Athletics also has not been immune from this in-crease in cases as it reported 50 new cases among student-ath-letes in its latest round of testing from Sept. 5-11.

The week prior, Penn State Athletics reported 48 positive tests among student-athletes, which led to multiple programs suspending team activities.

According to Franklin, play-ers are going to have to police each other about following pro-tocols in order to eliminate any

positive test results in the program and to stay on the field.

“I think that every positive we get in our state and in Centre County is a concern,” Franklin said.

“I think accountability is going to need to come from not just the administration and the coaches, but the players.”

In the Big Ten’s medical proto-cols, it has stated if the positivity rate on a team is greater than 5%, that team must stop regular practice and competition for a minimum of seven days and with a minimum of a 21 day recovery period for student-athletes, there will be consequences for pro-grams who do not follow these protocols.

“I think it would be safe to say the Big Ten has the most strin-gent protocols in college athlet-ics and maybe even professional athletics,” Franklin said.

“So the reality is if we’re not fol-lowing the rules, you’re going to be out for a large number of days and miss not only practices, but games as well and nobody wants that, especially in a reduced season.”

Ultimately, the risk to the Big Ten’s Chancellors and Presidents is worth the opportunity to play football this fall and for Franklin, he is excited for his players.

“It’s an opportunity for some of them to create value for them-selves,” Franklin said. “It’s about an opportunity to go play in the NFL. It’s about obviously the opportunity to compete for championships.

“It’s totally about the players, it starts and ends with those guys, but especially to me, the seniors.”

To email reporter: [email protected] him on Twitter at @BFerree_.

Sandy Barbour and James Franklin detail the weekend that led to the return of Big Ten football

Vol. 121, No. 7 Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020

Collegian file photo

Penn State head coach James Franklin walks around the field before the game against Michigan on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019.

ARE YOU READY?

local The Daily CollegianPage 2 | ThursDay, sePT. 24, 2020

Are academic advisers helpful? Students weigh in

Phi Sigma Pi welcomes all identities

By Kaitlyn KudriavetzThe Daily Collegian

How many Penn State students are actively checking every mes-sage delivered to their email inbox? And how many of those students have taken advantage of the virtual opportunities to speak with their advisers?

Danielle Bye has been talking to her adviser every month or two since she transferred from Penn State Altoona, depending on her adviser to keep her on track to ensure she graduates on time.

“Being a transfer student from the Altoona campus has been difficult. My first adviser [at Al-toona] was overlooking the whole college of human development and family studies and didn’t re-ally know much about my major and the criteria I needed,” Bye (senior-nutritional science) said. “[Turns out] I took some classes I really didn’t need.”

Her slightly chaotic time at Altoona put her a bit off track, requiring her to overload on credits in order to graduate from University Park on time, she said.

However, Bye said her expe-rience with advisers improved immensely once she trans-ferred to University Park, where her adviser now has a better understanding of her requirements.

Still, she has found herself as one of many students in need of

help from an adviser, making it difficult to keep up consistent communication.

“Even up here, it’s hard to stay in contact with [my adviser] and get a legitimate answer,” Bye said. “I think [Penn State needs] more advisers… I also think that they should be aware of changes within the major and make sure students know and continue to stay on track to ensure they can graduate in four years.”

Meredith Kelly is a double major, so she tends to bounce between both of her advisers.

Kelly (sophomore-biology and Spanish) hopes to study abroad in Spain, so she said organiza-tion and planning are essential, making her relationship with her advisers extremely important.

The most stressful part of having two advisers, Kelly said, is when their advice clashes, leaving the responsibility to navigate the advice on her.

“Sometimes it is hard to have conflicting opinions from both advisers and I [end up having] to make my own academic deci-sions based on what I think is best for me,” she said.

“They like when I make the de-cisions. They help to guide me, but they want me to do what I please, even if it is harder.”

Considering the university is so large, Kelly said Penn State’s advisers do a good job of building and maintaining relationships

with students, and commends them for their ability to have a “personal impact.”

Bridget DiCamillo has had pos-itive experiences with her advis-er, who she used to see multiple times a semester before the era of Zoom.

Now, she said they commu-nicate primarily through email about issues regarding her schedule.

“Whenever I’m stuck in a stressful situation with classes, she is always there to help and makes it work,” DiCamillo (se-nior-recreation, park and tour-ism management) said. “I am in a smaller major and see my ad-viser a lot, and she always solves the problem. She [even] provides snacks… She’s easy to talk to and [is] very helpful.”

Penn State Division of Under-graduate Studies adviser Diana Leach said a successful relation-ship between an adviser and a student is centered on teamwork.

“Like any successful relation-ship, these are built on trust, confidence, trial and error, and teamwork. They are reciprocal in nature and take effort,” Leach said.

“Since regular contact [is] not mandatory for all students at the university, it is the relationship built between adviser and advisee that will keep the door to this vital resource open.”

Leach said as an adviser

for one of the most expansive programs at Penn State, her job is not easy, and it’s certainly not a task for everyone.

Despite her workload, however, she said her passion for helping students keeps her motivated to juggle her students and work.

“Managing a roster of a few hundred students each semester can be challenging, but that is why you must truly love what you do in order to give each student the attention and support they need and deserve,” Leach said. “Fortunately, advising is what keeps me ticking.”

Leach describes her experience as a DUS adviser as “among the most fulfilling expe-riences of my lifetime” and con-siders advising to be her “true calling.”

Bye has some advice of her own for other Penn State students.

“Stay on top of your advisers, and try to follow the recommend-ed academic plan as best as pos-sible,” Bye said. “Also, don’t be afraid to ask teachers for help as well.”

To email reporter: [email protected] her on Twitter at @umkaitlynx.

By Melissa MannoThe Daily Collegian

Greek life organizations of-ten specialize in various inter-ests that appeal to their mem-bers, whether it’s socially or academically.

Phi Sigma Pi, however, only specializes in one thing: inclusivity.

Alex Dubois has served as the fraternity’s president since fall 2019.

She said she joined the chap-ter due to both her social and professional interests.

“I was looking for something that would allow me to meet friends who were interested in the things I was interested in, while challenging me academi-cally and pushing me to do well in my classes,” Dubois said. “Phi Sigma Pi was the perfect fit because it’s emphasis on both.”

Dubois said the fraternity has a “Tripod” of scholarship, lead-ership and fellowship that culmi-nates in its members’ profession-al development and dedication to community service.

She said the thing that sets Phi Sigma Pi apart from its greek life counterparts is it’s wide range of members across different majors and gender identities.

According to the national fraternity’s official website, it switched from its use of the term of “co-ed” to “gender inclusive” because “there is no room in the word ‘co-educational’ for indi-viduals who do not identify within the gender binary.”

Treasurer Tom Lichtel said this allows for members to enjoy the benefits of being surrounded by diverse perspectives.

“As with anything that allows people of all genders to partici-pate, you get a better variety of experiences and people you get to become friends with,” Lichtel

(junior-philosophy and political science) said. “It doesn’t take anything away from fraternity traditions, and the opportunities are so much higher.”

Lichtel joined the fraternity in spring 2019 as a freshman.

He attended the involvement fair not quite sure of what he was seeking, but said he was attracted to Phi Sigma Pi’s friendly atti-tudes — and the promise of free food at recruitment events.

He said he never saw himself getting involved with greek life, but Pi Sigma Phi appealed to him because it offered a different experience that valued commu-nity.

“That’s something that’s huge at Phi Sigma Pi — the intercon-nectedness that happens within all the members,” Lichtel said. “They are so willing to help me achieve my goals, which is huge for me.”

Phi Sigma Pi’s national motto is, “improving humanity with honor” according to Dubois, something Litchel said reflects in the fraternity’s many service projects including THON, com-munity clean-ups, Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership and Cradles to Crayons.

Social Chair Ian Campbell said his favorite memory so far as a Phi Sigma Pi brother was the service trip he joined last fall benefiting Cradles to Crayons.

“We took a road trip to Philadel-phia and packed a bunch of school gear and clothing into care pack-ages to send to children in foster care for the holidays,” Campbell (junior-mechanical engineering) said. “It was a great time to hang out with my brothers while also doing good in the community.”

Campbell heard about Phi Sig-ma Pi through a friend and joined fall 2019 as a way to get involved on Penn State’s campus while meeting new friends.

“In a normal fraternity, you get a lot of similar ideas and inter-ests and you don’t really get chal-lenged,” Campbell said. “Here, you get so much diversity and you’re pushed into different ways of thinking.”

The fraternity’s inclusivity is one of the reasons Wendy Schnei-der said Phi Sigma Pi stood out to her. “It’s really fulfilling to be able to build bonds with people no matter their gender or how they identify,” Schneider (senior-health policy and administration) said. “If you’re somebody who isn’t comfortable with labels or would feel closed into a box by having to choose between a frat or a sorority, Phi Sigma Pi is the place for you.”

Schneider’s interest in join-ing the fraternity stemmed from her transitioning to life at a large university.

“I transferred into Penn State from a small hometown college and this massive, out-of-state uni-versity was so daunting,” Schnei-der said.

“Phi Sigma Pi was a really wel-coming group of people that are really dedicated to professional development, while also feeling like a family.”

She said her favorite part of being in the fraternity are the leadership opportunities. Since rushing in fall 2018, Schneider has held a chair position every semester.

This semester, she’s both the parliamentarian and finance chair, enforcing bylaws and operating policies while run-ning donor drives, alternative fundraising and donation boxes.

“It’s given me the ability to strengthen my leadership abili-ties, which has been so helpful

for my own professional goals,” Schneider said. “The other mem-bers really believe in you and want to see you succeed.”

She said looking back on her time so far at Penn State, Phi Sigma Pi plays the largest role in her experiences. She said the fraternity means the world to her and she wouldn’t trade her brothers for anything.

“In a business frat, you’ll find people from Smeal, and in a social frat or sorority you’ll meet people who are more dedicated to life-long friendships — which is beau-tiful — but Phi Sigma Pi offers everything,” Schneider said. “We do everything you could imagine on campus — every aspect of the Penn State experience, you can find it in Phi Sigma Pi.”

To email reporter: [email protected] her on Twitter at @melissm8.

UPUA creates Women’s Empowerment Roundtable seriesBy Raygen Calabria

The Daily Collegian

Penn State students will now have the opportunity to par-ticipate in a dialogue about uplifting women at the univer-sity with a new University Park Undergraduate Association initiative.

UPUA will begin a new series of “Women’s Empowerment Round-tables” beginning 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 25.

Meetings will be held virtually biweekly due to high demand, and will be recorded and displayed on social media, according to Erin Boas, an at-large representative for UPUA.

Boas said the roundtable is a collaboration to uplift and em-power female and non-binary voices. She also said the round-table wanted to make sure empowerment did not come at a cost.

“The Roundtable aims to be an open environment for all self-identifying women, including trans-women and non-binary/gender non-conforming stu-dents,” Boas said via email. “Penn State has many resourc-es and opportunities, but they are spread out in so many niche

corners of the university that they are often inaccessible and oftentimes costly, whether in time or money.” Boas acknowledged that in 2018, Schreyer for Women created a Women’s Roundtable

for Student Leaders with the mission to unite leaders of student organizations that focus on wom-en, transgender and non-binary invidivuals.

Boas noted, however, that

UPUA’s roundtables are open to anyone at the university, while Schreyer’s are open only to leaders of student organizations.

The first meeting will include an introduction during which participants can establish rela-tionships in a comfortable en-vironment and share personal experiences, according to Boas.

There will also be a discussion about what women’s empower-ment means to the roundtable and any other topics participants want to discuss.

Najee Rodriguez, chair of UPUA’s Justice and Equity Com-mittee, said Boas worked to form the Women’s Empowerment Roundtable. She also expects to see an influx of solutions that women may express during the roundtable.

“It’s amazing to be able to see this come into fruition, as it also aims to tackle issues that women on campus may be facing,” Ro-driguez said via email. “Discus-sion will turn into advocacy and then ultimately lead to general empowerment.”

An overwhelming response of interest for the roundtable came from a mix of Penn State organizations, including THON, Schreyer for Women, Days for

Girls and others, Boas said.According to Boas, the goal of

the roundtable is to be a place for open discussion, finding resourc-es, and providing the means of collaborative events that are ac-cessible to all Penn State women on campus.

Sydney Gibbard, a College of Engineering representative and co-coordinator of the roundtable, said it is an incredible way to help women feel empowered by role models in their community.

“It is a way to celebrate the ac-complishments of women and all they have overcome to be incredi-ble students, professors, academ-ics, mothers, friends, sisters and everything else...” Gibbard said.

Boas believes the success of the roundtable will come from those who participate and join the overall mission.

“We want to provide the Penn State community with the space to share, listen, learn and act,” Boas said. “It is our hope that ev-eryone feels compelled to uplift and empower women.”

For more information about the program, contact [email protected].

To email reporter: [email protected] her on Twitter at @RaygenC4.

Courtesy of Alex Dubois

Phi Sigma Pi members attend a Blue and White game tailgate during spring 2019.

Collegian file photo

Old Main stands against a blue sky on Thursday, Jan. 31.

Noah Riffe/Collegian

The door to the University Park Undergraduate Association office on Friday, Sept. 11 in University Park, Pa.

The Daily Collegian

By Courtney McGinleyThe Daily Collegian

Plants have been improving our environment since the begin-ning of time. They not only pro-vide beauty to the surroundings, but plants help people improve mindfulness and well-being.

This could be particularly ben-eficial to students, especially during this unprecedented time.

Penn State Greenhouse Man-ager Scott DiLoreto said the first humans on Earth mostly saw trees and leaves.

Therefore, he said, over time, our subconscious makes us feel at home when around plants, with the color green bringing us comfort.

“Dated back millions and mil-lions of years ago, we all depend-ed on plants for food, fiber, medi-cine and shelter, which obviously helps our health and well-being,” DiLoreto said.

Most people today do not live in rural areas, he said, so it can be challenging to obtain the benefits of nature.

“For people [who live in urban areas], it’s pretty reasonable and logical that they would choose to move plants indoors for their en-joyment and security,” DiLoreto said.

Professor of biology and plant science Sally Mackenzie agreed, saying plants help people become more mindful.

She said one’s energy is enhanced by being around nature.

“Plants are the easiest way to bring nature into your home,” Mackenzie said. “Even artificial plants will be beneficial to en-hance your environment because they’re considered nature and give you the same effects as if you were outside in a garden.”

Mackenzie said there are many other benefits of plants as well.

“The fact that they require care and attention, plants can improve your state of mind just because you are caring for something,” Mackenzie said.

Penn State student Amir Harzi, who said he is passionate about plant life and biology, has a few cacti in his dorm room.

“...Having indoor plants not only gives you something to take care of, but allows you to feel a sense of responsibility to check on them,” Harzi (freshman- biology) said.

According to Mackenzie and DiLoreto, a big misconception is that plants in your room can improve oxygen levels. This is statistically not feasible, they

said, because in order to get any significant benefit, an individual would need hundreds of plants collectively, like trees in a forest.

“While house plants cannot give off enough oxygen to enlight-en our minds, the thought of them being present can help students, sort of like a placebo effect,” Harzi said.

For students looking to be-gin reaping the benefits of plants, Mackenzie has some suggestions.

“A really huge step would just consist of getting a collection of succulents or some kind of plant you want to grow, making it your own mini garden,” Mackenzie said. “Caring for it would prob-ably surprise people quite a bit because of how nice it is.”

Gavin De Mars has started a small garden in his dorm con-sisting of a bonsai tree, bamboo and a snake plant. He said the plants are easy to maintain, nice to the eye and help improve his well-being.

De Mars (freshman-earth sci-ence) also said he loves spending time at the Arboretum because of the exquisite ambiance and his love of plants.

“The Arboretum has seriously hundreds of different plants, trees, bushes, flowers and more,” De Mars said. “Going there to

just get some fresh air or just look at the flowers is what I do at the Arboretum. It’s a quiet and relaxing place.”

If one is wary about having plants in their room or simply does not have enough space, Mackenzie recommended students experience nature in other ways, like visiting the Arboretum.

“[The Arboretum] is a perfect place for students to go to find peace and obtain that plant-like

energy,” Mackenzie said. “Just walking around is a great way to unwind and feel like the world is still.”

Mackenzie emphasized the importance of taking these opportunities.

“After a while you can get so fixated that your life can become a little bit monotonous,” she said, “and we forget to look outward.”

To email reporter: [email protected] her on Twitter at @court-mcginley.

local Thursday, sepT. 24, 2020 | page 3

Latinx students want Penn State to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

By Madigan LuboldThe Daily Collegian

National Hispanic Heritage Month is not celebrated in a uniform manner.

It’s honored in several ways by differ-ent groups of Latinx people, according to Victoria Pizzi, a member of the Soci-ety for the Advancement of Chicanx and Native Americans in STEM.

The whole Hispanic community is de-rived from different countries around the world, with varying cultures and identi-ties that are brought to Penn State, Pizzi (freshman-biology) said.

“Each country has a different culture they bring with them [to Penn State], and it can be exciting to integrate your cul-ture into your identity,” Pizzi said. “Being able to celebrate my culture is celebrat-ing who I am and where I come from. If I couldn’t celebrate my culture, it would be like losing a part of who I am.”

This year, National Hispanic Heritage Month is taking place from Tuesday, Sep. 15 to Thursday, Oct. 15.

A traditional Uruguayan celebration for Pizzi’s family involves food, dancing and soccer.

“My family and I celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by having a barbecue at my grandmother’s house,” Pizzi said. “My mom loves to dance candombe, a traditional dance in Uruguay. We love to express our culture every day by watch-ing Uruguay play soccer games, drink-ing mate and driving 40 minutes to eat a traditional dish at Uruguayan restau-rants.”

Pizzi encourages Penn State students to take part in Penn State’s Hispanic Heritage Month festivities.

She would “love” to see an annual pa-rade during this month to celebrate His-panic cultures from around the world on campus, Pizzi said.

According to Esther Munoz, the president of SACNAS, being Hispanic is “always a celebration.”

Munoz (graduate-geosciences) grew up in a “big, loud and loving” Mexican family where she learned about her heritage daily.

“Coming from San Francisco, Califor-nia, my experience has been completely privileged in the sense of being sur-rounded by my heritage and history my whole life,” Munoz said.

In order for Penn State students to help celebrate the month, Munoz said it’s important for people to learn and under-stand the history of individuals who are Black, indingenous and people of color.

If students can’t understand the issues BIPOC endure, then it’s harder to rec-ognize and celebrate such a month, she said.

But the education systems in America have not always accurately portrayed

history, in Munoz’s experience, which makes it harder for students to learn parts of history

“When our schools don’t teach us the truth of how this country has come to be but instead feeds us lies and sugar coats the truth, we have to dig and search to find the actual truth,” Munoz said.

Munoz noted that it would be benefi-cial for Penn State students to host big events to talk about the “true history of the people of this land.”

Additionally, students should have more conversations on the complexities of what being a Latin American means, according to Munoz.

The different slave trades, prohibi-tions and genocides throughout time has led to the creation of multiple identities throughout the continent, so not all His-panics come from the same history and culture, she said.

According to Sofia Johnson, another member of SACNAS who is Nicaraguan, National Hispanic Heritage Month is easy to miss at Penn State.

But Johnson (graduate-geosciences) said students should increase dialogue and debates as to what the month em-compasses. In order to do this, Penn State should bring in outside experts, Johnson said.

“There is a low population density of Latinx or Hispanic groups at Penn State,” Johnson said. “So, the best way to commemorate the month is by ask-ing people outside of the community who are experts to have conversations about Hispanic heritage because our selection pool is fairly limited.”

This will allow for education to in-crease within the region from people who know Hispanic history, she said.

Additionally, it will lessen the load put on Hispanic people at Penn State, according to Johnson.

“This will also alleviate the burden of Hispanic Heritage education and recog-nition [often placed] onto the shoulders of Latinx groups of people.”

To email reporter: [email protected] her on Twitter at @madiganlubold.

Can plants improve your well-being?

Lily LaRegina/Collegian

Esther Muñoz serves as the president of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanx and Native Americans in STEM.

Josie Chen/Collegian

Students take notes at individual stations during a plant science lab at Headhouse II in Penn State University, Sep. 1.

Josie Chen/Collegian

Megan Czekaj examines the plant’s leaves during her plant science lab at Penn State University, Sep. 1.

Briana San Diego/Collegian

The Penn State Horticulture Club hosted their annual house plant sale, with plants club members grew themselves, on Tuesday, Apr. 23, 2019 at the HUB.

OPINIONFor college students

in the coronavirus era, it is very hard

to meet new people. This has become espe-

cially hard due to the moratorium that Penn State placed on registered student organization meetings.

When people ask a Penn Stater what they got out of their college experi-ence, extracurricular activities are almost always at the top of their list, as these activities allow students to socially interact while participat-ing in something they are passionate about.

The university should allow RSOs to meet in-person based on each group’s discretion, with Centers for Disease Con-trol and Prevention guide-lines enforced and followed.

According to Penn State spokeswoman Lisa Pow-ers, “activities beyond informal, outdoor meet-ings are being discour-aged without strong departmental support.” Currently, the only RSOs that can meet in-person are religious organizations.

If and when the morato-rium is lifted, organiza-tions will be encouraged to make reservations for space on campus and talk to Student Affairs regarding event plans.

However, there are ways for organizations to safely meet right now. Whether it be outside, in a class-room or in an auditorium, students could meet in-person while remaining socially distanced at a certain capacity.

After all, if the universi-ty found conditions safe enough for students to return to campus this fall, students should have the opportunity to get involved and meet one another face-to-face.

Participation in clubs and organizations is bene-ficial for students’ mental health, and acts as “pro-tection against more dan-gerous activities,” accord-ing to clinical psychologist

Mary Rooney. This ability to participate is especially important during the pandemic.

Though Zoom has its perks, nothing compares to a face-to-face interac-tion. Students shouldn’t have to go to dorm rooms, apartments or houses in order to hang out with people. And, when they do this, social distancing, mask wearing and other safety precautions likely won’t be enforced.

Some student organiza-tions might operate well over Zoom. However, based on the organization, Zoom meetings can cre-ate a disconnect between members. The decision to hold meetings and gather-ings in-person should be made on a case-by-case basis.

The university should trust RSO leaders and their respective faculty advisers to make the best

decision for their organizations.

Penn State issued a planning document with considerations for RSOs, which were separated into organization, membership and special considerations.

Additionally, the univer-sity wrote up preliminary guidelines for performing arts groups, physical activity groups and volun-teer groups — if the uni-versity were to lift the moratorium.

Each issued letter out-lined completely different guidelines. For instance, technology would be encouraged among physi-cal activity organizations so the group could con-nect virtually, whereas a cappella and vocal rehearsals could take place in-person as long as singers were distanced by 12-14 feet.

The current guidelines

that prevent students from interacting face-to-face may deter people from wanting to join cer-tain organizations. A “one-size-fits-all” solution for over 1,000 RSOs does not make sense, as each group has a different pur-pose and different amount of members.

Rather than preventing students from meeting in-person or planning to micro-manage students if and when they can meet in person, the university should create basic guide-lines for RSOs based on the type of organization and number of members. The university could then trust student leaders and faculty advisers to moni-tor and enforce guide-lines, and create club-specific rules, when needed.

Ultimately, as long as students are on campus, student organizations should be allowed to start meeting in-person for the sake of Penn State stu-dents’ mental health and campus involvement — with safety guidelines in place, of course.

Let RSOs meet in-personStudent organizations should meet in-person

for the sake of students’ mental health

OUR VIEW

Thursday, sepT. 24, 2020page 4Sarah AndrianoBusiness Manager

Ashley Hayford Opinion Page Editor

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Long live Ruth Bader GinsburgWashington D.C. has always

been my home away from home. The one place you could

always find me was on Capitol Hill — specifically on the corner of First Street NE and East Capitol Street NE.

I’d marvel at the tall immacu-late columns of the Supreme Court of the United States and turn to my left to ooh and aah at the massive dome on the United States Capitol Building.

In the presence of all these buildings I constantly dreamt about, my aspirations would sud-denly feel attainable as I remem-bered the trials and triumphs of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Ginsburg isn’t just a role model to me. I view her as a titan — a beacon of hope for equality of the genders.

She’s truly the reason I’ve chosen the path I am on today.

Ginsburg fought the system that had all its odds stacked against her, as she was a woman in law who was Jewish and had a child at a young age.

While at Harvard Law School, Ginsburg was vocal to adminis-trators about the lack of women in the college “despite her dis-comfort, self-doubt and misgiv-ings” to do so, according to the American Civil Liberty Union’s website.

She co-founded the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project prior to being appointed as a Court of Appeals judge, which I find to be a true testament to her unwavering feminist instincts.

Ginsburg always made sure to give back to students while she practiced law, even becoming the first tenured female professor at Columbia Law School, her alma mater.

As a Supreme Court justice, I most admire her tireless dis-sents, which have changed the course of history and will forever be ingrained in my memory.

Her opinions from United States v. Virginia in 1996 to

Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores in 2014 are two I find especially empowering, as she has always pushed to protect the rights of women regardless of the Supreme Court’s majority decision.

Through United States v. Vir-ginia, she upheld the importance of admitting women into the Vir-ginia Military Institute, which was originally a male-only school. This precedent has changed education forever, in my opinion.

Also, Ginsburg wrote the pow-erful 35-page dissent for Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, arguing that for-profit companies should provide contraceptives in their employees’ health care plans.

However, what I find most admirable about Ginsburg is that she didn’t let her “celebrity” sta-tus keep her from maintaining a “family first” ideal.

Her unwavering love for her late husband Martin Ginsburg is something anyone could be jealous of.

In an op-ed she wrote for the New York Times in 2013, Ginsburg said “I have had more

than a little bit of luck in life, but nothing equals in magnitude my marriage to Martin D. Ginsburg. I do not have words adequate to describe my supersmart, exuberant, ever-loving spouse.”

Written six years after Mar-tin’s death, Ginsburg always spoke of her husband’s praises. Their love was inspiring, beautiful and brings tears to my eyes.

I mean, give her credit. She made enough time to officiate a wedding for family friends and work out with Stephen Colbert, both in her late-80s.

Who else could do that besides the notorious RBG?

Yesterday, Ginsburg’s grand-daughter Clara Spera said the justice’s dying wish was as fol-lows: “My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.”

It is as if until her dying breath, she was a vehement Trump opposer and upholder of equity.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s announcement that the chamber will move to con-firm Ginsburg’s replacement

prior to the November presidential election portrays a disgusting lack of regard toward the late justice’s career, essence and final wishes.

Additionally, McConnell’s decision to not wait until the election’s votes are counted completely counteracts his deci-sion in 2016 to not let former President Barack Obama select a new Supreme Court justice during an election year. This instance followed the death of former Associate Justice Anto-nin Scalia and was eventually filled by Trump’s nominee Neil Gorsuch.

McConnell’s plans are bla-tantly hypocritical and add fuel to the dumpster fire he has created as Trump’s mouthpiece.

If the Republican-controled Senate were to approve one of Trump’s Supreme Court nomi-nees, it would disrespect Gins-burg’s legacy and her family, especially considering his nomi-nees include Senators Ted Cruz and Tom Cotton, whose legal careers don’t compare to Ginsburg’s.

Regardless, I will continue to start my mornings by taking my first sip of coffee from my “I <3 RBG” mug, and opening my laptop that boasts a sticker of my role model that reads, “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made.”

I look forward to sipping from that mug well into my political communications career and telling my kids about who Gins-burg was and what she will continue to mean to me.

Ashley Hayford is a junior majoring in digital and print journalism and is the opinion editor for The Daily Collegian. Email her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter at @theyoungknope.

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Ruth Bader Ginsburg died on on Sept. 18 due to complications from pancreatic cancer at the age of 87.

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SPORTSPage 5Thursday, sePT. 24, 2020

By Justin Morganstein The Daily Collegian

When Pat Chambers learned that former assistant coach Kev-in Freeman was heading back

to coach his alma mater UConn, he had to act fast to find a new

coach to join his staff before the 2020-21 season.

He had to look no further than a financial adviser, who also hap-pens to be Penn State’s all-time leading scorer, itching to come back to his alma mater.

Talor Battle, one of the all-time greats at Penn State, was offered a chance to leave his financial gig and come back to Happy Valley to coach with Chambers.

And with no hesitation, he took the job.

He was ready to come back to State College and be a part of the program he helped build.

“My reaction was through the roof, full of excitement be-cause this place means every-thing to me, so to come back and be on the staff is just truly so special,” Battle said. “I can’t express the gratitude I have toward Coach Chambers.”

Although their relationship has grown tremendously throughout the years, Battle was never able to play for Chambers, who was named head coach the season af-ter Battle graduated.

But while they haven’t worked together until now, the two have communicated plenty throughout the years, check-

ing in on each other as they in-dependently went about their professional careers.

And once Battle started to contemplate retirement from professional basketball, Cham-bers said he would do what-ever he could to help the former Nittany Lion if he ever needed it.

“I had a conversation with him and he looked me in my eyes and told me he’d do everything he could to help,” Battle said. “So three and a half years later, here I am. The guy’s great, he said he would help me, I didn’t know to this extreme, but we’ve had a great relationship.”

While Battle has no prior coach-ing experience, he has something he feels will be uniquely brought to

the team with his experience as a Nittany Lion himself.

It’s a quality that isn’t neces-sarily basketball related, but one he said will help in terms of com-munication throughout the busy season.

“Having played here, having walked this campus, I think I can relate with the guys a great deal, so I think that’ll go a long way,” Battle said.

“And just kind of being a men-tor or listening to these guys, un-derstanding what they’ve gone through.”

While he is a mentor, Bat-tle will also be crucial in both game planning and player development.

Most of his player develop-ment will likely be going to-

ward the guard position, as the backcourt is going to need to step up this season with the departure of big men Lamar Stevens and Mike Watkins.

“These guards, I’m really look-ing forward to getting around them whatever way that I can help them, obviously develop and work with them on a court,” Bat-tle said. “Them picking my brain or me sharing some of the knowl-edge that I know helped make me successful, whatever I could pass along to them is just a privilege for me.”

Those backcourt contribu-tors will consist of return-ing veterans such as Jamari Wheeler, Myles Dread and Myreon Jones.

As those cornerstone pieces

head into the season looking to continue their exponential improvement, Battle is pre-pared to help them with anything on and off the floor.

“These guys are already es-tablished players in [the Big Ten], if I can give a little bit of input, help them become bet-ter and just develop them, I’ll do it,” Battle said. “That’s what I’m excited for.”

Something that also makes the hiring of Battle intriguing is the fact that he will be the only one in the locker room to have experienced an NCAA tournament run with Penn State.

He was quick to say that Cham-bers along with his team have un-finished business from last year, and that is (officially) making the big dance.

The Nittany Lions were slated to make the tournament last sea-son but the event was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Now as Penn State awaits a season with another talent-filled, veteran roster, Battle is really hoping to finally help Penn State get back to that goal.

“The goal every year for ev-ery team is to get to that NCAA tournament, for the older guys who were here last year, [to get] right there and for the world to just completely come to a stop and then not be able to play in a tournament, it is some sort of un-finished business,” Battle said. “I think that’s a good way to look at it, still having so much to prove.”

To email reporter: [email protected] him on twitter at @jmo31800.

Battle tested

Collegian file photoTalor Battle, Penn State’s all-time leading scorer, will return to his alma mater as an assistant coach in hopes of leading the program to new heights.

Penn State’s all-time leading scorer Talor Battle will return to Happy Valley as a coach

MEN’S BASKETBALL

By Madeline LapreziosaThe Daily Collegian

On June 27, the National Wom-en’s Soccer League’s Portland Thorns FC and North Carolina

Courage took the field, marking the first return of a North American professional sports

league since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

But that wasn’t all the occasion signified. Each player walked out wearing a Black Lives Matter shirt and during the national an-them, and every single player kneeled.

On the field that day were Penn State alumnae Raquel Rodri-guez and Britt Eckerstrom, both members of the Thorns.

From social media to the play-ing field, professional athletes around the world have taken a stand for racial justice follow-ing the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, the shooting of Jacob Blake and more.

“It’s not a super controver-sial thing,” Eckerstrom told The Daily Collegian. “This is a human rights movement right now and we’ve got to do what we have to do to make sure people are held accountable.”

Rodriguez, who was born in San Jose, Costa Rica, recognized the importance of bringing atten-tion to social justice issues and sharing the message with her following.

“The fact that I can use my platform, I always see it as a re-sponsibility,” she said. “I’m al-ways going to respect someone who thinks differently than me, but I’ve always seen social media as a tool to just bring thought to

people and to bring awareness and attention to something I consider important.”

Christine Nairn, a former Nit-tany Lion currently playing for the NWSL’s Houston Dash, said she and some teammates at-tended a protest in downtown Houston in response to the death of Floyd, an unarmed Black man who was killed while a white police officer held a knee to his neck for almost nine minutes.

“For me, I’m all about action,” Nairn said. “It’s easy to talk about it and say something, but until you do action, I think that changes lives and that promotes change.”

Nairn highlighted the impor-tance of showing up for a cause she believes in, even if it doesn’t directly impact herself as a white woman.

“To see my teammates affect-ed by that and be able to show my support and just promote action, I think went a long way," she said.

Penn State alumna Ali Krieger did not find herself in the NWSL Challenge Cup bubble, as her team the Orlando Pride with-drew from the tournament prior to its start due to 10 positive coronavirus tests among players and staff.

While she wasn’t able to make a statement on the field, Krieger has kept active on social media, frequently speaking out about racial injustice on her Instagram account followed by over 900,000 people.

In June, she participated in a campaign called #ShareTheMic-Now, through which Black wom-en posted from the Instagram accounts of influential white women for a day, to promote their own work from a platform Black women are not as often afforded.

“It’s important that we use our voice, that we’re not just here to have a platform that people can’t relate to,” Krieger told the Collegian. “I think it’s important that you show up for other people that don’t look like you and that you really support and talk about these topics that are changing our country.”

Although Krieger has often resorted to social media to voice her beliefs, she has also taken it upon herself to do more in her personal life to combat racism.

“Obviously, posting here and there is good and grand, but you really need to dig deeper and look into your community,” she said.

Krieger said she and her wife, Pride teammate and fellow U.S. women’s national team player Ashlyn Harris, have made efforts to influence the people around them.

“Ashlyn and I are trying to make it a point to continue that fight and change other white peo-ple’s mindset and ways of think-ing, and we have to start with our friends and family,” Krieger said. “Then we can go to our communi-ty and fan base, and that’s where I think you can really make an impact.”

Krieger admitted she has not made sufficient efforts to ad-dress racial injustice previously, and that white people like herself must assume the responsibility of learning about racial inequality.

“I know that I haven’t fought for racial justice as much as I could have in the past," she said. "I know that now it’s a duty of ours to educate ourselves, to listen to people of color, to hear their voices, and to really chal-lenge others...”

Visit collegian.psu.edu to read the full story.

Local high schools keep playing amid pandemic

NWSL stars speak out for social justice

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Collegian file photoPenn State alumni Ali Krieger, a member of the United States Women’s National Team, takes to the field at Beaver Stadium during halftime of the football game against Army on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2015.

By Zech Lambert The Daily Collegian

Nothing shines brighter than the Friday night lights on a clear, cool October evening as the leaves turn a vibrant orange and red.

In central Pennsylvania, local athletic directors are making sure those lights shine, even in the midst of a global pandemic — and two local high schools can now be certain they will.

The Bellefonte and State Col-lege Area School Districts held practices in anticipation for a 2020 fall sports season, without knowing if there’d be one.

The PIAA left the decision to play or not play up to each individual school, and Belle-fonte felt safe to attempt to play due to the low COVID cases in the area.

Bellefonte athletic director Deb Moore prioritized safety, but was still determined to get her teams playing sports this fall and was not surprised by the PIAA’s decision.

“How do I get them to play, and play safely?” Moore said. “I’m trying to follow all the guidelines set forth by the CDC.”

The State College Area School District administration was similarly not surprised when the decision from the PIAA was announced.

“It fell in line with the gover-nor’s position all along,” State College Athletic Director Chris Weakland said. “It would be up to individual municipalities and school boards to make their decision.”

State College has taken as many precautions as pos-sible to keep its student ath-letes safe, including wearing masks, social distancing and using personal water bottles at practices.

“It’s really interesting to see how our coaches and players have responded to this, and I’m very proud of how they did,” Weakland said.

It’s not only players and coaches doing their best, though — they had some help in the process.

State College football coach Matt Lintal noted the excellent job being done by a student running the football team’s Instagram page to help remind people of these efforts and get them to follow the guidelines. “He made a video encouraging State College to wear their masks,” Lintal said. “He’s put some really good things on there.”

Even with the risk of a

coronavirus outbreak, the State College Area School District’s Board of Directors voted 9-0 to approve the playing of non-con-tact sports this fall and voted 7-2 to play contact sports, like football.

For State College, two or more cases on a single team would result in that team being sus-pended and quarantined for two weeks.

Moreover, State College is following the plan the district has laid out since sports are viewed as an “extension of the classroom.”

If an outbreak happens on a Bellefonte team, the Depart-ment of Health would complete contact tracing, but most likely, the entire team would be quar-antined as well.

As for fans — that is still un-certain at this point.

Indoor sports, such as girl’s volleyball, will most likely have no fans in attendance, but Weakland would like to have at least senior parents attend out-door games if possible.

“There’s a lot of parents out there that really put a lot of time and love to get their chil-dren to this point,” he said. “We’d hate to deprive them of the opportunity to see them play as well.”

Lintal also feels the lack of a fall sports season could have taken a mental toll on the athletes, especially after he, as a coach, witnessed the ef-fect the loss of a spring season had.

Now, though, he doesn’t have to worry. “I got to see the emo-tional impact of our kids who were multi-sport athletes that lost their senior lacrosse season or track season,” Lintal said. “I saw how difficult that was and the emotional heartache they had to bear… as hard as that was, I think this would have been more difficult because every other school in our country is playing.”

To email reporter: [email protected] him on twitter at @Zech_Lambert.

“It fell in line with the governor’s position all along. It would be up to individual munici-palities and school boards to make their decision.”

Chris Weakland

State College Athletic Director

The Daily Collegian

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lifestylePage 6 | Thursday, sePT. 24, 2020

School of Theatre creates mask for Lion Shrine

By Kit SchroderThe Daily Collegian

The Nittany Lion upgraded its look earlier this fall to encourage students to help slow the spread of the coronavirus by wearing a mask.

On Aug. 20, Penn State Presi-dent Eric Barron put a mask on the lion shrine.

Charlene Gross and Amanda Ferg, two Penn State School of Theatre employees who work in the costume shop, made the mask.

The mask is identical to the one provided to students by the uni-versity: a navy blue mask sport-ing the “We Are Penn State” logo in one corner.

According to Penn State spokesperson Lisa Powers, the university decided to have the mask made to help debut the “Mask Up or Pack Up” campaign.

“This was the first time the Lion Shrine has ever been used in this way, which represents the importance of the message behind this effort,” Powers said via email. “As Penn Staters, we need to do the right thing for the community.”

Powers said the mask can re-mind members of the community to do their part to protect oth-ers and limit the spread of the coronavirus.

“[The Office of Strategic Plan-ning] called and asked if we could do it a week or two before classes,” Gross, a professor of costume design, said. “I went out that same evening to take mea-surements.”

Gross and Ferg both spent a lot of time in quarantine mak-ing masks. Gross said university employees knew about this and asked them to make the mask.

Some School of Theatre gradu-ate students have paid graduate assistantships, which means they receive tuition reimbursement for tasks they perform for faculty members.

Gross said she initially didn’t know how her graduate students would complete their hours dur-ing the coronavirus pandemic. But, some were able to help with

this mask project. “Between me and a couple of

other folks, we started a mask making group, and we made them for people in the community,” Gross said.

Ferg, who is a staff draper and assists teaching freshmen in the costume shop, said she made about 90 to 120 masks in quaran-tine, and about 1,500 total on her own.

“All of them were given away to the community and essential workers,” Ferg said.

Gross and Ferg worked to-gether to make the lion’s mask. Gross first draped the mask on the shrine, which means she manipulated the fabric to form the mask.

Gross then brought the pattern and fabric to Ferg, who finessed the pattern a little bit more, tweaked it, cut out the first proto-type of the mask and gave it back to Gross.

“[Gross] then had to take in a couple of tucks, make it a little smaller and scoop it down a little more,” Ferg said. “There wasn’t much trial and error after that, we only had to do the one fitting.”

Ferg compared it to when they work on costumes for actors in the costume shop. She said they sometimes have to do up to six costume fittings for one actor.

After Gross made her sec-ond adjustments to the mask, Ferg then finished putting it all together and adjusted the pat-tern so they could make more

masks in the future for the commonwealth campuses.

“The letters were actually the trickiest part,” Gross said. “I wanted something that could deal with weather.”

Gross said they chose the best navy blue and the most durable fabric, but when they went to print the letters on it, they wouldn’t stick to the fabric.

“I made a digital file to laser cut and put on,” Gross said, “and that wouldn’t stick to the fabric either.”

Gross ended up using a “good, old-fashioned” stencil and some paint. She said this method was the only one that would work.

Barron’s tweet of him putting the mask onto the lion shrine now has over 600 likes on Penn State’s Twitter and over 13,000 likes on the official Instagram page.

“It feels kind of cool. What I love about mask making in gen-eral is that I can help in times of a pandemic,” Ferg said. “So much of what I do isn’t seen as essential.”

Ferg said through couture garment making, she is helping people to tell a story or express themselves.

“[I] felt like I was really help-ing people,” Ferg said. “I’m shocked on how popular the story is.”

To email reporter: [email protected] her on Twitter at @kschro15.

Josie Chen/Collegian

The Nittany Lion Shrine is masked up by President Eric Barron to re-mind students and faculty to mask up this fall on Thursday, Aug. 20.

Penn Staters on diversity in filmBy Josh Chu

The Daily Collegian

On Sept. 7, the Academy Awards announced films will need to meet two out of four new diver-sity requirements for Best Picture consideration.

These changes are known as the Academy Aperture 2025 initiative. With the announcement placing more focus on diversity, Penn State film students and faculty weighed in on these changes, as well as the current state of diversity in the film industry.

The rule change for the Oscars was met with mostly positive recep-tion despite some concerns over their intentions.

Gary Abdullah, the assistant dean for diversity and inclusion for the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, said he believed the changes were a step in the right direction. But, he brought up concerns over potential loopholes.

“Things get interesting, and things get sticky,” Abdullah said. “When you begin to say, ‘these two ways’ [create] a diverse cast or pro-duction… That’s where things get icky. What’s going to be more inter-esting is the enforcement of these rules. People find their way around stuff.” For example, those who are “deaf or hard-of-hearing” qualify as an underrepresented group accord-ing to the new rules. But Abdullah points out the vague wording as potentially problematic.

“For the Academy, what quali-fies as ‘hard-of-hearing?’” Abdullah said, wondering how the Academy would determine similar situations.

Abdullah also stressed the impor-tance of more diversity behind the screen. He said a more diverse pro-duction team can start to chip away at traditional power structures in the industry.

“The power structures behind the scenes in Hollywood are tradition-ally male, white and rich,” Adullah said. “If you begin to change those faces of the decision-making behind the scenes, then what happens is different voices begin to influence movies and representation.”

Moreover, Marco Falcucci found the changes to be overall posi-tive, but was hesitant on one of the requirements of on-screen representation.

Falcucci (freshman-division of undergraduate studies) said he believes these changes can create situations of what he calls “forced diversity.” He said “forced diver-sity” is “including diverse situa-tions when they aren’t necessarily required,” and he thinks this can impact and force productions to create art in a certain way.

However, Ryan Manuud is able to see both positive and negative sides. He said he doesn’t think the Oscars are using diversity as a political stunt.

“They have a valid argument,” Manuud (freshman-film produc-tion) said. “I can see how [diversity] can be shoehorned, and I respect that opinion, but I disagree. I think this is a good step forward without it being too unprofessional or forced.”

Kevin Hagopian, a media studies and film history professor, discussed how arguments for and against the new changes are all valid.

“There’s no such thing as a recipe for ‘good art’ of any kind,” Hagopian said. “But it’s also true that mov-ies are not only art, but also a mass communications medium. And the important thing with any mass communications medium is its relationship with the audience.”

Hagopian said he agrees with the Oscars being concerned with “the question of diversity and inclusion.”

However, Hagopian said a diverse production isn’t “high-quality in ar-tistic or cultural terms” by default. He said representation has to be accurate and realistic as well.

Hagopian also said diversity in film can influence audiences.

“We’re likely to have a more open and self-aware society,” Hagopian said. “A society that is aware of the fact that all of us are intersections of multiple identities — that we are not just any one thing. We’re getting audiences to think both outside and about themselves.”

Falcucci said diversity on screen is “refreshing,” and can make movies more interesting.

“It gets a little tiring just seeing ‘white guy, white guy, white guy,’” Falcucci said. “It gets repetitive. And it’s just nice to see different people. We’ve got all these different kinds of people and a lot of them are really talented, so why should we exclude them?”

Abdullah also said diversity is im-portant on a personal level to many underrepresented groups. He cited the impact “Black Panther” had on the Black community.

“The idea of allowing people to see themselves represented in major media ways and appropriately rep-resented and valued is important,” Abdullah said. “If you took a look at the cultural impact ‘Black Panther’ had, you can very clearly see why it was so important. You had so many Black children running around [on Halloween]... Everyone was being represented in some way.”

Manuud said as an Asian American, he likes to see “under-represented groups getting more representation.”

“I remember going to see ‘Black

Panther’ opening night and just seeing the community coming to-gether and being so happy to see a non-struggling African Ameri-can and seeing a story of empow-ered people of color… I get more interest in others getting that representation,” Manuud said.

Manuud also said he thinks audiences should come togeth-er and celebrate diversity as a whole. “We can all tap into each other’s diversity and culture,” Manuud said. “Those stories are being told so we can all come to-gether, not just as separate indi-viduals.”

For students studying film pro-duction now, Hagopian and Abdul-lah agreed they have hopes Penn Staters will steer their careers toward championing diversity.

Abdullah is optimistic about the current generation, but he still has reservations.

“Right now I’m optimistic be-cause you guys are still dream-ers and still young,” Abdullah said. “But once money starts mattering to you, I’m not so sure. Many of these generations have had dreams and protests and then money gets involved, and people get comfortable.”

Hagopian hopes students will not apply diversity rules as a “recipe.” He encourages stu-dents to write about their own identities as filmmakers in ways they may have felt pressured to ignore in the past.

“[I encourage students] to crossover and write about cul-tures they are not a part of but just are interesting and com-pelling to them,” Hagopian said. “Rather than thinking of it as a recipe, these changes will be more useful if filmmak-ers make them part of a whole set of cultural changes and acknowledgements of reality.”

As a filmmaker, Falculcci said he plans on casting and hiring staff openly based on merit and hopes to provide equal opportunities to anyone who is skilled for the job.

“If this person says he or she can do this thing, I don’t care what they look like,” Falcucci said. “I’m all for it.”

Manuud as a filmmaker be-lieves diversity is important and hopes to apply his values to his career in the future.

“I think that everyone needs to listen,” Manuud said.

“That’s the biggest thing. We all need to listen to each other, hear each other’s stories and then help tell them.”

To email reporter: [email protected] him on Twitter at @josh_chu74.