That's right. The other day, an email was sent out to all College of Communications students notifying them of the chance to get free Microsoft products. At first glance, it seemed pretty exciting.
A program called ELMS (E-academy License Management System) has hooked up with Penn State, offering free Microsoft software (which doesn't seem to include anything more than an upgrade to Windows 7 and access to a couple of new crummy Microsoft products).
If you're a student in the College of Communications, stop by 62 Willard next Thursday for more info.
Is it worth your time? It's Microsoft! It's FREE! So probably not.
Though I haven't seen him since his days on Degrassi: The Next Generation, Aubrey Graham, better known as the rapper Drake, will be coming to Penn State April 9 as part of the 5th Annual Campus Consciousness Tour.
The tour is being billed as "eco-friendly". This means that tour buses will be using biofuels, recycling will be promoted at shows, and artists will use reusable water bottles instead of otherwise ubiquitous disposable plastic bottles. The tour itself is an effort of Reverb, a non-profit that has "greened" the tours of acts such as Dave Matthews Band, John Legend, and Phish.
Whatever your opinions are about Drake (or openers K-OS and Francis and the Lights), I think the concept of a "green" tour is a good way to promote environmentally friendly practices.
If you want to learn more about Reverb and the work they do, you can check out their site here.
Those of you who read the Collegian on Tuesday probably read about Dennis Shea, head of the Department of Health Policy and Administration and staunch objector to State Patty's Day. For you devout Onward Staters, you may know Dr. Shea better as the prolific commenter "GTWMA."
To the average college student, GTWMA may seem like a stringent fun-sucker beamed to the future from the temperance days of yore. But when compared to the shamrock-covered sloppy messes drunk at 10 am, the enlightened Dr. Shea wins the allegiance of many.
Dr. Shea has gained a following; the End The "State Patty's Day" Tradition Facebook group has amassed over 1,185 members (although the "official" State Patty's Day group has 9,390 members, roughly a quarter of the student body).
Read on for more.
Last night, the UPUA voted on a selection of three different advertisements for State Patty's Day, put together by the UPUA Student Life and Diversity Committee headed up by chairman, Christian Ragland.
Controversy had erupted earlier when the ad was first proposed because many members were concerned that it took a condescending tone and condemned fellow students for their actions during last year's State Patty's Day. The ad chosen by the UPUA will run the Wednesday before State Patty's Day weekend. Some highlights of the ad, which is still subject to change before it goes to print, are crime statistics from last year's celebrations and a humble message urging students to practice safety and responsibility.
"We want them to have fun without bringing about the negative aspects of our social lives," said Ragland in an email to Onward State.
The ad will include a number of student organizations that have agreed to pledge to this safety initiative. Some of the groups signed on for the advertisement so far include the International Student Council, Center for Women, CCSG, Latino Caucus, IFC, Rainbow Roundtable, LGBTQA Student Alliance, NAACP, Blue and White society, and others. According to Ragland, the ad "is a starting point for more collaboration with these groups."
Mere hours after we posted about a call for Ed DeChellis' firing, Penn State Men's Basketball wins its first conference game of the season, snapping a 12 game losing streak. So who did they take down? Never-been-to-the-tournament-but-hopeful Northwestern.
David Jackson and Chris Babb scored 20 points each as Penn State snapped a 12-game losing streak with an 81-70 victory over Northwestern on Wednesday night, dealing perhaps a fatal blow to the Wildcats' NCAA tournament chances.
While the win doesn't get us out of the bottom of the Big Ten, it's much better than losing thirteen games in a row. It's not like they can tank the rest of the season for better odds in a draft lottery. So we'll be content if the team turns things around to muster "bad season" instead of "worst season ever."
The STATEtorialist is a blog about Penn State, college sports, and fashion. Every week, Ben from The STATEtorialist will be writing a column for Onward State. If you like what you read, be sure to comment and read more at The STATEtorialist!
Today I was reading my favorite blog, The Sartorialist, and underneath a picture of someone walking through a blizzard in New York City, the author Scott Schuman exclaimed his disapproval of "The system" and how it kept him from being able to buy a pair of gloves. The system he is referring to is the one that makes everyone, specifically store owners, think that just because the holidays have ended, that spring has sprung (regardless what happens in Punxsutawney).
Clearly, if you look out your window, winter is still going strong, as it is in New York as well, and stores are in a spring fashion state of mind. Scott's post got me thinking that while we're still getting mounds of snow here in State College, my posts might as well still be winter fashion oriented, especially since stores like Harpers and Barefoot are putting their fall and winter stuff on sale right now.
Something that I never really thought about until recently is the uncomfortable, un-versatile accessory that is the dress sock. Does the prospect of socks pique your interest? Read the full post after the jump to find some good deals on dress socks.