Penn State Erie, The Behrend College
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| Pennsylvania State University – Erie, The Behrend College | |
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| Established: | 1948 |
| Type: | Land-Grant, State-related |
| Chancellor: | Jack Burke |
| Faculty: | 207 full-time 61 part-time |
| Students: | 4,675 estimate |
| Location: | Erie, PA |
| Campus: | 725 acres |
| Colors: | Blue and white |
| Nickname: | Behrend |
| Mascot: | Behrend Lion |
| Affiliations: | AMCC, NCAA |
| Website: | www.pennstatebehrend.edu |
Penn State Erie, The Behrend College is a state-related public university institution and a Commonwealth campus of Pennsylvania State University located in Erie, Pennsylvania.
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[edit] General Information
Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, holds over 4,600 students from various cities, states, and countries. The largely marketed benefit of the college is its connection to the resources and options of Pennsylvania State University while being set in an atmosphere of a small college setting. The school features thirty-four baccalaureate majors, twenty-two minors, six associate degree programs, and three graduate programs.
The 725-acre (2.93 km2) campus is located minutes from the City of Erie in Harborcreek Township. As a land grant and sea grant institution, the college's mission includes advancing Northwestern Pennsylvania's economic and social welfare.
The college in recent years has added a number of facilities, including an athletics and recreation center (The Junker Center), chapel and carillon (Smith Chapel), astronomy observatory, large residence halls (Senat Hall), Knowledge Park at Penn State Erie, and a baseball and softball complex. The newest construction is a $30 million research and economic development center (REDC) that houses the School of Engineering and the Sam and Irene Black School of Business. The 160,000-square-foot (15,000 m2) REDC includes state-of-the art teaching and research labs, including the largest plastics lab in the United States. Plans were announced during the summer of 2008 of plans to build an estimated $2 million Admissions and Alumni Center set to open in 2010.[1]
[edit] Student Life
[edit] Student Organizations
For a full list of Behrend Student Organizations, visit http://www.behrend.psu.edu/student/groups/GroupsContacts.htm
Some of the larger organizations at Penn State Behrend include the Lion Entertainment Board (LEB), the Student Government Association(SGA), the Multi-Cultural Council (MCC), and the school newspaper, the Behrend Beacon.
The Lion Entertainment Board is responsible for bringing entertainment to Behrend's student population. There are weekly bands, comedians (some have included Mitch Fatel, Lewis Black, Jim Gaffigan), and other shows. In the past, bands brought to Behrend have included the Goo Goo Dolls (1998), Shaggy, The Clarks Third Eye Blind (in 2008) and recently, The All-American Rejects and Shiny Toy Guns (2009).[2]
The Student Government Association (SGA) of Penn State Behrend is the governing body of the student population and of all student organizations on-campus. It is open to all students; elections are run twice a year - once in the fifth week of Fall semester, and again towards the last half of Spring semester. Students who are interested in politics, or want to represent their fellow students, normally run for Senator or as a Council Representative first, then later may run for an executive board seat (President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary) The executive board for the 2009-2010 year will seat Caleb Rodgers as Secretary, Stephen Burger as Treasurer, Molly Thomas as Vice-President, and Bradley Kovalcik as President. The SGA has a website online at http://www.clubs.psu.edu/bd/sga/index.html.[3]
The Multi-Cultural Council(MCC), located online at http://www.clubs.psu.edu/bd/mcc/aboutus.htm, organizes many groups to promote a multi-cultural environment, unity, and cooperation between groups at Behrend. The MCC is prominently located as a student organization in the Reed Union Building, and coordinates celebration of many different events, such as Martin Luther King week, Hispanic and Black History Month, and many more. According to their website, the current President is Adell Coleman, and the Vice-President is Elton Armady.[4]
[edit] Student Media
The Behrend Beacon is the student-run newspaper at Penn State Behrend. It runs weekly, and is located online at http://www.thebehrendbeacon.com. It circulates 2000 copies every week, and is free to all students and faculty.
Each week, the Beacon runs stories regarding news events at Behrend, arts events both at the college and in Erie, and sports coverage for Behrend's athletes. It also provides a "Perspectives" page for students to publish their own opinions on political or local events. The Perspectives page provides a student forum for opinion and debate, and has seen increased use in the last year due to controversial events at the college and the presidential election. The paper also runs investigative articles written by Behrend journalists regarding current events or processes at the college.
Students from any and all majors, including even mechanical engineering, chemistry, and meteorology, work on the paper. Usually, those interested in Communications or Journalism will work for the newspaper in an attempt to decide whether they want to pursue journalism as a career interest. Students normally start out as a staff writer, where they will get the opportunity to write news, sports, or arts stories for the paper. Editor positions, which are paid positions and not limited by major, deal more with layout of the actual newspaper, and organizing content in a specific section. Currently, for the 2009-2010 school year, there are roughly 12 positions for editors. There is no limit on staff writers.
Last year, the Beacon launched its first website, which is currently under construction heading into the new year.
The Beacon also sells advertisements for its print version. This year's Advertising Manager is Michelle Quail, who can be reached by following the staff page on the Beacon website.
This year's (2009-2010) Managing Editor will be Christine Newby, and the Editor-in-Chief will be Connor Sattely.[5]
[edit] Greek Organizations
Behrend has a Greek life system. There are three campus recognized social fraternities: Delta Chi, Kappa Delta Rho, and Sigma Tau Gamma. There are three campus recognized social sororities: Alpha Sigma Alpha, Alpha Sigma Tau and Theta Phi Alpha.[6]
[edit] On-Campus living
Most freshman live in Lawrence, Niagara and Perry Halls. Some students may also get housing in the recently constructed Senat Hall; a freshman-only hall reserved for those who join a "FIG" or Freshman Interest Group. Senat hall is the newest residential hall, it is suite-style, located centrally on the campus and as such, is often revered to be the best place to live on campus. Honors students live in Almy Hall. Sophomores, juniors and seniors often opt to live in 8 person/4 bedroom suites in Tiffany, Tigress and Porcupine Halls. Ohio Hall contains smaller 4 person/2 bedroom suite style housing options. On campus apartments are available too at the Behrend Apartments, located in the upper section of the main campus area.[7]
Residential facilities have been recently renovated and all rooms have relatively new furniture in good condition with wall-to-wall carpeting and a microfridge (microwave/refrigerator) in all of the dorm rooms.[8]
[edit] Off-Campus living
Many students find housing off-campus in the city of Erie or in other housing options within a few miles of the campus.
Others rent apartments from the University Gates Apartments directly across the street from the main entrance to the college. University Gates is currently building more apartment buildings, and has recently opened a mini-plaza with a Hungry Howie's pizza shop, workout room, lounge area, and new office and laundry facilities. [9]
[edit] On-Campus Dining
There are three on-campus dining facilities: the Gazebo at Dobbins, Bruno's Café in the Reed Union Building, and the Clark Cafe in the REDC. Dobbins is a cafeteria with a large variety of foods and drinks available as a buffet. The cafeteria will be expanding in the future as well. It is said that it will also include a "Panera-like" area for food-pick up. Bruno's is an on-campus cafe where students can get all types of food and drinks for dine-in or to-go. It is located in the Reed Union Building and has wireless internet access for students. It tends to be open longer and later than Dobbins: till about 11 PM on weekdays and midnight on weekends. There is often live entertainment on weekends at Bruno’s Café. The Clark Cafe offers a variety of sandwiches, wraps, salads, and drinks, and it provides students with wireless internet access.[10]
[edit] Class size
The student:teacher ratio is 15:1 at Penn State Behrend. During the first two semesters, many students may find themselves in bigger classes for some popular intro courses but classes decrease in size in their sophomore year.
[edit] Athletics
Known as the Behrend Lions, Penn State Behrend men can compete in 10 Varsity sports while women can compete in 11. Penn State Behrend is a member of the NCAA Division III, Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) and Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC).[11]
[edit] Men's Varsity Sports
For information on each varsity sport, including schedules, history, and other information, click the link after each sport.
- Baseball [1]
- Basketball [2]
- Cross Country [3]
- Golf [4]
- Indoor Track [5]
- Soccer [6]
- Swimming [7]
- Tennis [8]
- Track & Field [9]
- Water Polo [10]
[edit] Women's Varsity Sports
For information on each varsity sport, including schedules, history, and other information, click the link after each sport.
- Softball [11]
- Basketball [12]
- Cross Country [13]
- Golf [14]
- Indoor Track [15]
- Soccer [16]
- Swimming [17]
- Tennis [18]
- Track & Field [19]
- Water Polo [20]
- Volleyball [21]
[edit] Intercollegiate Club sports
Penn State Behrend also has 4 intercollegiate club teams participating in ice hockey, men's volleyball, and men's and women's lacrosse. The ice hockey team plays in the College Hockey East league and is a member of the ACHA.
[edit] Changing Assignment to University Park
The vast majority of students at Penn State Behrend stay at the college and do not change assignment to another Penn State campus. However, 20% of incoming freshmen eventually change assignment to University Park at the end of their second year in order to complete a program that Behrend College does not offer.[12] In order to change assignment, a person must 1) declare a major by the end of their sophomore year 2) satisfy a few required classes for that major and 3) maintain a sufficient GPA. In most popular majors, about 5-9 specific courses need to be completed (usually a few introductory courses relevant to the major) and roughly a 3.0 GPA needs to be maintained. It is recommended that the student know what their major will be, what classes (if any) are required before changing assignment for their major and if they meet minimum GPA requirements by about third semester or earlier. This is beneficial because if a student is missing any courses or needs to boost their GPA, they can do so in their fourth semester and change assignment to the University Park campus easily and successfully.
Students who declare certain majors (architecture, agricultural business) can change assignment to University Park after their freshman year (instead of after their sophomore year which is more common) because the majors aren't offered at Behrend at all, or as in-depth as it is offered in University Park.
It should be noted that while many majors are offered in University Park and not Behrend, six majors are offered only at Behrend and not University Park: International Business (offered only as a minor at UP), Interdisciplinary Business with Engineering Studies, Plastics Engineering Technology, Software Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology, and a BFA in Creative Writing. This is a major contributing reason as to why some students do not change campuses.
[edit] Knowledge Park
Knowledge Park is a 200-acre (0.81 km2) research and development area located on the campus of Penn State Behrend in a park-like setting. The park enables knowledge-based organizations to take advantage of the college's intellectual and physical resources as well as the resources of other colleges and universities in the region.
[edit] Points of interest
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ http://pennstatebehrend.psu.edu/about.htm
- ^ http://php.scripts.psu.edu/clubs/bd/leb/index.php
- ^ http://www.behrend.psu.edu/student/groups/groups-index.htm
- ^ http://www.clubs.psu.edu/bd/mcc/
- ^ http://www.thebehrendbeacon.com/
- ^ http://pennstatebehrend.psu.edu/student/groups/groups-greeks.htm
- ^ http://www.behrend.psu.edu/student/living/index.htm
- ^ http://www.behrend.psu.edu/student/living/index.htm
- ^ http://www.jamesproperties.com/default_files/UGAPropFeatures.htm
- ^ http://www.hfs.psu.edu/erie/
- ^ http://www.behrend.psu.edu/athletics/athletics.htm
- ^ Chancellor Jack Burke, "Newswatch Insider" on WSEE TV, June 17, 2007.
[edit] External links
- Penn State Erie
- John M. Lilley Library
- Knowledge Park at Penn State Erie
- Penn State Behrend, Residence Hall Help Desk
- USNews Statistics on Behrend
- Behrend Greek Organizations
- Pennsylvania Mentor: Penn State Erie-The Behrend College
- Behrend Dining and Meal Plans
Coordinates: 42°07′10″N 79°59′20″W / 42.119402°N 79.988773°W
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