Fall 2005

BONUS ONLINE CONTENT:
Terence Thomas' work journal

Head First Into First Year

The pungent smell of bleach drifted through the corridors of the Community for Creative Non-Violence. By 9:30 a.m., the heat was stifling in the 1,350-bed homeless shelter in Washington, D.C. It's here, across the street from the U.S. Department of Labor, that 20 accepted students, their Susquehanna University faculty chaperones and upperclass mentors spent a July morning disinfecting walls.

The group was volunteering with the fledging service-learning program, First-Year Student Summer Service Plunge, coordinated by the Rev. Mark Wm. Radecke, university chaplain. The program is among scores of others at SU, including service trips to Central America and the campus-based Project House System, that teach students through classroom and seminar learning combined with community outreach and service. The intensive week-long program also included working at Haven Ministries, a homeless shelter near campus in Sunbury, Pa., and visiting N Street Village, a women's center near Washington's Thomas Circle.

"This was a lot more personal than sitting at home seeing the problem on TV," said Mark Lavelle, a freshman from Avon, Conn.

The students tossed a football to children, ages 4 and 7, who had lived for a year in the Community for Creative Non-Violence. They listened to the stories of men like 80-year-old Noble Paul Vaughn Sr. and learned that feeling invisible is worse than feeling hungry.

"People don't know what to do when they see a homeless person, so they do nothing and that strips away their human dignity," said faculty chaperone Coleen Zoller, assistant professor of philosophy.

Two students defied the common practice of ignoring 'street people,' the same day they arrived in the capitol. Outside a Starbuck's, a homeless man asked Jenna Gilson, of Williamsport, Pa., and Claire Howard, of Amherst, Mass., for bus fare. The girls took the time to ask his name then bought him a sandwich before leaving him -- with bus fare and a full stomach.

-- Victoria Kidd, News & Editorial Manager

Students participating in the First-Year Student Summer Service Plunge utilized a blog to capture their experiences and reflections during the trip. Visit www.susqu.edu/chaplain/ssp/blog.htm to read their entries.

Susquehanna students Claire Howard (left) and Jenna Gilson (right) listen as a homeless man tells them about his life on the streets. Joining Claire and Jenna in the conversation was 80-year-old Noble Paul Vaughn Sr. (background). Howard and Gilson's experiences with the Summer Service Plunge sparked a friendship that prompted the girls to room together this fall. "From the moment Jenna received the invitation for the Summer Service Plunge, we were excited about the opportunities it presented. My first thought was how it would be a great way to meet and work with other freshmen and upperclassmen, and in some small way, ease her transition into college life," said Joy Gilson, Jenna's mother.

Exploring a Hot Spot

Centralia, Pa., seems to draw people. Every now and then, newspaper vans pull in, drive around, and leave, presumably to report, "Yup, still burning." Susquehanna students go there for photography projects, shooting their friends in front of steaming vents, sitting on fallen, skeletal trees. And perhaps oddest of all are the "tourists," the locals and visitors who drive into the ghost town, 10 cars or so a day, to see the emptiness, the overgrowth, the buckled highway, the patches of earth so hot from the mine fires burning beneath the surface that nothing but moss grows there."

Or perhaps they come to see the few houses left standing, the ones of the people who stayed, even when the government declared the area uninhabitable.

Through the course of my research, I was able to work closely with my advisor, Associate Professor of Geological and Environmental Science Dan Ressler. He helped me design my experiment and my methods, and assisted me with data collection. I also got to know the person behind the Ph.D. during the hour-long rides to the field site in our giant department truck, listening to stories about Dr. Ressler's kids and fishing trips.

Among the people this inextinguishable fire draws are the scientists -- I among them. For six years, students and professors from Susquehanna's environmental science, biology, and chemistry departments have studied the effects of the extreme environment that the subterranean fire has created, such as bacteria that survive in the soil even at high temperatures. We kneel in the open, scarred landscape, collecting soil and gas samples, surveying plants and digging holes as the tourists drive by, making us feel rather like an exhibit at a zoo.

My project was to study carbon dioxide emissions from the fire and their impact on plant communities -- for example, whether fewer species are able to survive in areas where more CO₂ is released. The area has a variety of plant communities, some with only two or three species of moss and grass, others with 14 species of flowers and shrubs. We think the differences in diversity may be caused by stress from carbon dioxide, which in large amounts at the roots can be lethal.

I'm not finished yet, of course. I need to collect more data and process it. I will meet with Dr. Ressler once a week through the year as I analyze my data. And this spring, I will present my findings at an undergraduate research conference in Asheville, N.C.

-- Erin Markel '07

SU Track Standout Wins National Championship

Emily Lepley '07 won the women's 400-meter hurdles at the NCAA Division III Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Wartburg College in May 2005. Lepley, an English-secondary education major from Lewistown, Pa, ran 1:01.20 in the finals -- the third-fastest time of the 2005 season in Division III. "I was just planning to run all-out from the start; there really was no strategy," said Lepley. "I was surprised (to win)."

Meet the Player

Matthew Rousu, assistant professor of economics, competitor in the 2005 World Series of Poker

What do your Internet poker game and Sesame Street have in common?
MR: My screen name is "Poker Elmo." With two small kids, I have seen a fair amount of Elmo in the past few years.

How did you get involved in poker?
MR: My main hobby used to be golf, but as a father of two, I rarely get several hours of free time to fit in a round.

Would you quit working if you won big?
MR: I would still be teaching. I really love my job, love teaching students and love economics as a subject.

How have you incorporated your hobby into your teaching method?
MR: I use poker as a teaching aid when discussing game theory, the study of strategic interactions between individuals, and imperfect information.

What do you tell your students about playing poker?
MR: The key thing to remember with poker is that for every winner, there is a loser.

Friends@Fox

Three years ago, when Terence Thomas '06 enrolled at Susquehanna University, he knew an alumni-assisted internship was possible. "The connection between alumni and students was a large reason why my parents sent me to Susquehanna University in the first place," Thomas said. But not even his parents could have dreamed where such connections would take him -- straight to the Washington bureau of Fox News.

Through Eric Conner, a 1997 SU graduate who now serves as the White House cameraman for the news channel, Thomas went on assignments at the U.S. Capitol, the Supreme Court and the White House. He also spent a lot of time working with Fox News Radio's The Tony Snow Show, where he talked to such famous figures as Ben Stein, Tom Ridge and Newt Gingrich.

"There were so many things to experience at Susquehanna that helped mold me into a well-rounded person. That wide range of opportunities helped define who I am," says Conner. And who he is today is a man that rubs shoulders with famous television journalists, films the First Lady at the State of the Union Address and travels the world with U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

"The influence this internship has had on me can't be measured. My experience at Fox News has taught me how capable I am. I now realize that with a bit of work, I can be a member of a major news network," said Thomas.

"I hope that one day, when I have advanced in the field of media, I can give back to some other students," he said.

Despite the overwhelming gratitude Thomas gives him, Conner remains humble about the opportunity he made possible. "This internship program was never about me," Conner said. "Susquehanna University gave me so much that it was only natural to make good and give something back."

Over the past year, more than 25 alumni have assisted students with securing and successfully completing internships. Brenda Fabian, director of career services, says alumni are instrumental in helping students explore career options. "Alumni are especially interested in serving as on-site mentors for interns from their alma mater, and are often excellent career resources after graduation. They lead by example and inspire confidence in students who can envision themselves as future SU success stories," Fabian said.

-- Victoria Kidd, News & Editorial Manager

To learn more about Terence Thomas' internship at FoxNews, read his work journal.

Meet a Student

Laurent Bush, Class of 2006

Major: Elementary Education

Hometown: Leechburg, Pennsylvania

Activities and honors:
University Choir, Chamber Singers, Sigma Alpha Iota (International Professional Music Fraternity for Women), Lutheran Student Movement, Music Preparatory Program teacher, Presidential Fellow, University Scholar, dean's list, Honors Program.

Best learning experience:
My trip with SU CASA (Susquehanna University Central America Service Adventure) taught me many lessons. I learned to take risks, do construction work, and adapt to an environment in which I don't speak the language. Also, the SU CASA trip was an amazing experience that allowed me to travel abroad without making the semester-long commitment of normal study abroad programs through the university.

A favorite accomplishment:
I think I am most proud of having the chance to perform a junior recital with two of my classmates. As a non-music major, I never saw myself as one who would be able to perform in a vocal recital. It gave me a true feeling of happiness and accomplishment.

Is Early Decision Right For You?

The college application process is ahead of you. You have an admissions essay to draft, piles of homework to do and senior year activities to plan. Applying Early Decision (ED) is one way to help relieve some of the pressure. You could have your application out the door before the holidays and maybe even have a decision before or shortly after New Year's Day.

It's not a step to take hastily, but if you can confidently answer "yes" to each of the following questions, then applying Early Decision may be right for you:

• Have you researched this college as well as others that interest you?
• Have you visited a variety of campuses while students and faculty are around?
• Are your academic, extracurricular and social needs going to be met?
• Did you meet with an admissions officer to find out if you are a realistic applicant?
• Have you discussed college costs and aid with someone in the financial aid office?
• Have you talked about your decision with your family and your guidance counselor?
• Are you ready to stop your college search now because a college is clearly your first choice?

As you investigate Susquehanna University, consider the following advantages of Early Decision at SU:

• Two different ED options: Early Decision I -- applications due by November 15 for notification by December 1, or Early Decision II -- applications due by January 1 for notification by January 15.
• Applications are given extra consideration, as they are the first to be read.
• Early notification on merit-based scholarships.
• Candidates for need-based financial aid are not expected to make a final ED commitment without a financial aid package from SU. We will work with you prior to the February 15 deposit date to provide financial aid answers necessary for your enrollment decision.
• Priority housing arrangements is provided to ED students who pay their enrollment deposits by February 15.
• If we're not able to admit you ED, you will be deferred to the regular decision pool so you'll have time to provide us with improved grades and test scores.

For more information about applying Early Decision, please contact the Susquehanna University Office of Admissions toll-free at 800-326-9672.