The Penn State Advanced Vehicle Team is holding a vote for you to name their custom-built EcoCAR. There are a variety of choices; you can pick your favorite here. Potential names were submitted by kids from the State College area. Voting runs through midnight on Saturday, April 24. Personally, I think "The Situation" is the only choice, but maybe that's just me.
You may be asking yourself, "What is the Penn State EcoCAR?" A team of Penn Staters is participating in a contest with other college students, sponsored by the Department of Energy and GM. Their task is to design an engine and, using an existing Chevrolet model, modify it through innovation of their own to make it more fuel efficient and reduce its levels of greenhouse gas emissions.
For more on EcoCAR and how how to vote, read on after the jump.
On April 22, ten business-minded PSU students will gather at the Penn Stater to compete in The Next CEO simulation, hosted by the Smeal College of Business. Think The Apprentice, minus the cheesy one-liners and the flowing comb-overs (unless one of the competitors wants to take this to the next level.)
According to the Smeal website, competing students "will have to think on their feet as they answer questions about how their companies should respond to complex business crises and major world events." I, for one, am expecting the hostile take-overs, shameless backstabbing, lobbying scandals, and extravagant bonus packages that have come to define life at the top of American business. More realistically, those who attend the open event can look forward to a tight competition between some sharp and well-prepared Penn Staters.
For more info about The Next CEO, and what the competitors have in store, check out the page on Smeal's website. The Next CEO kicks off at 7:00 PM, April 22, in the President's Lounge of the Penn Stater.
Former NFL coach Dick Vermeil spoke to a mid-sized audience at Eisenhower Auditorium on Tuesday night, giving those in attendance some insight he developed in his 31 years of coaching all levels of football. Before starting his talk, he told the crowd that he felt bad being retired after sitting down and talking with Joe Paterno earlier in the afternoon, and seeing the fire and passion he still has for coaching.
More highlights from the evening after the jump.
Unfortunately, due to travel conflicts caused by the recent Icelandic volcano activity, British alt rock band Los Campesinos! was forced to back out of their scheduled appearance here at Penn State. Although opener Cymbals Eat Guitars is touring with Los Campesinos!, they will still be performing, Students Organizing the Multiple Arts President Danny Michelson confirmed.
In the meantime, SOMA is working hard to find a replacement act and should know if it's possible by tomorrow. Considering their track record, I'm sure they'll still manage to put on a great show.
Last night, Penn State's Twitter feed posted a tweet that read "See #PennState in a whole new way - Tuesday / 7 a.m. / http:// www.psu.edu". Many on Twitter viewed this as an announcement of a new website design for dear Old State.
As it turns out, the announcement was for a new commercial that the University has decided to place over top of their home page. Major letdown.
Read more about Penn State's subpar website (and what school's site gives it a strong run for its money) after the jump.
If you haven't been to TED.com before, go as soon as you finish reading this. The TED foundation is an organization that brings together some of the world's greatest minds and gives them a forum where they can present their ideas to the world. The speeches given at TED conventions across the globe are some of the most thought-provoking and inspiring lectures seen anywhere.
The foundation focuses its efforts on its flagship TED Conference and TEDGlobal Conference, but created the TEDx program “ in the spirit of TED's mission, ‘ideas worth spreading.’ The program is designed to give communities, organizations and individuals the opportunity to stimulate dialogue through TED-like experiences at the local level. At TEDx events, unique talks given by live speakers combine with TEDTalks videos to spark deep conversation and connections. TEDx events are fully planned and coordinated independently, on a community-by-community basis.”
The IST Alumni Society is aiming to bring a TEDx Conference to Penn State in the fall...Read more about it after the jump.