Well the time has finally come for good ol’ G-Span to head out there and show his alma mater all that he has learned from us here at PSU. The Des Moines Register had an interview with President Graham Spanier, which is actually a good look into his life as a president. In the interview he talks about the time he spends in the dorms (at the beginning of the year in East), the changes university life has seen since his time as a student, and how he spends his free time. The title of the speech he will be giving is “What I Can Learn Sleeping in the Residence Halls.”

One of the better questions in the article related to the speech’s title:

So what’s with sleeping in the dorms?

I’ve been doing that at the beginning of the fall semester for years. It helps me put a finger on the pulse of students. The speech has a catchy title but it’s about keeping up with what is happening with students.

I can say that I have personally seen G-Span spend some time in the dorms over here at East and he does get to know the incoming class. In fact, he actually goes around and talks to every student and tries to get feedback from them straight off the bat. He also advertises various important events that first-years should attend so they may become attuned to the Penn State culture. Also, he performs magic (he still can’t make the CATA buses appear on time, though)!

How do you relax after facing all that?

I play racquetball and am a musician in several bands. (He even plays the washboard in a band). But what I’m known for at Penn State is connecting to students. We try to create a student-centered university.

Another one of my favorite questions. I mean, what’s better than knowing your president does this , this and this in his spare time? It’s no surprise that someone as down to earth as President Spanier was chosen to speak at the 50th anniversary celebration of his old alma mater.

To quote Dan McCool:

More power to you, G-Span, you’ve showed us how real you are. Go show your alma mater what you’re all about.