Onward State takes you into the mind of Dr. Abhay Ashtekar, theoretical physicist and Director of the Institute for Gravitational Physics and Geometry at Penn State. Topics range from research, to the publishing process, to what makes a scientist.
One of the unsung heroes of any organization is the vice president, often overshadowed by his or her running mate upon election to office. Penn State's student government is no different, with the vice president routinely taking on the brunt of the executive work as delegated by the president. The current stalwart holding that position is UPUA Vice President Katelyn Mullen. I got a chance to catch up with Katelyn and discuss her role in student government, her cameo on an MTV reality show, and all things veep-related.
The Board of Trustees have approved an $85,000 pay raise -- from $515,000 to $600,000 per year -- for President Rodney Erickson, which went into effect on November 1.
For the second year in a row, Penn State and the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal was named the sports story of the year by the Associated Press. This was the first time since the vote began in 1990 that the same story had been chosen two straight years.
Current Board of Trustees Chair Karen Peetz will not seek reelection to that leadership position for the next term, per a release from Penn State. Peetz still plans to remain an active member of the board, but cited her recent appointment as president of Bank of New York Mellon as the reason for her decision.
Penn State announced on Friday that it will be rolling out a new scholarship program for first year students. The new program, known as the Provost Awards, expands on a system that has already been in place at the branch campuses for six years, and adds another $20 million to the scholarship pool.