3 Weeks Until WEPO!

Hello Freshmen Women!

In just three short weeks, you will be moving into your dorm rooms and gearing up for three days of WEPO. The Leadership Team and I cannot wait to meet all of you and we hope you're equally excited! I know it can be difficult to leave home regardless of where you're coming from, but I can reassure you that you've made the right first step by signing up for this orientation program.

Have any questions? Reach out to your Mentor and Rover and they will be sure to steer you in the right direction. I can promise you that no question is a dumb question. Don't be afraid to ask how to do laundry, how the gym membership works, how to find your professors' offices or anything else that may have seemed normal or routine before. Freshman year is an incredibly exciting time, but you have to be willing to ask all of those questions in order to transition quicker.

Best of luck as  you pack up your bags and gear up for the next chapter! We can't wait to meet you soon!



WEPO 2011 Leads: Danielle, Sharon, Julie, Athena, Meghan, Andi, Terri and Amanda

 Danielle DaSilva is a senior majoring in Mechanical and Bioengineering. Danielle is serving as the Networking Strategist Lead for WEPO 2011. She is involved in SWE, THON, and Engineering Ambassadors. Feel free to contact her at DanielleDaSilva@psu.edu

Travel the World

On a mountain in San Sebastian, Spain.

Hello WEPO Girls!!! I'm here to tell you all something very important...STUDY ABROAD! I know, I know... sounds scary enough leaving your family to go to school, now I want you to go to a different country! Well trust me, I thought the exact same thing. I'm extremely close with my family and I almost didn't even consider traveling! After freshmen year I went to Europe and my love for traveling grew from there.

I was very unsure about studying abroad with all people I didn't know and being away from my family for a whole semester. I knew a lot of people who have done it and were homesick but did not once regret their decision! I thought a whole semester would be too long so I decided to take the 2.5 week class for engineering this summer. This way I wouldn't be away for too long and I still got the experience of studying abroad. The group of students and I decided to travel for a week before going to our destination San Sebastian, Spain. We went to Madrid, Seville, and Barcelona! The entire experience was amazing! Looking back I would have been fine going for a whole semester, that's just how much fun I really did have! The day I got back I already started planning my trip next year to Italy and Germany and a few other places!

Surfing in San Sebastian, Spain

Here are a few reasons why you should study abroad if you aren't sold yet:

·                     Experiences: I did things on this trip that I may have never been able to do if it weren't for this trip. I even got to go surfing, which I was very scared for and almost didn't do it! There are just some things you have to do without thinking, because in the end you won't regret it!!! We also got to go to the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain which was breath taking!

·                     Meeting People: I met people from Spain that I would have never met without going on this adventure! You get to see firsthand how they live every day. You see how different it is from in the US, something you can't grasp from just watching a movie or reading a book.

·                     Skype: If you miss your family, you always have the option to skype with them or call them. That is exactly how I survived through the trip. When I started missing home I would just skype with them, it makes it so much more bearable! You'll feel like you're at home again!

·                     Well Rounded: You become a lot more well-rounded and learn how to solve problems (the thing that engineers are experts at) in different ways than you would in the US. You see how differently engineers in different countries do things, and it's an experience that will help you become a World Class Engineer!!

If you're still questioning studying abroad... ask someone who has and you'll know what to do.(:

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

Megan Hinterberger is a senior majoring in Industrial Engineering. She is a Mentor for WEPO 2011, and is also involved in SWE, IM Volleyball and was previously on Penn State Altoona's Varsity Volleyball Team. She has completed internship rotations for Corle Building Systems and Sheetz. Feel free to contact her at mah5377@psu.edu .

How can I keep from playing (or singing)?

One of the best pieces of advice I can offer is to make sure you continue to do something you absolutely love.  As an engineering major it is vital that you find balance in your schoolwork and extra curricula activities, as many others have already alluded to in their blogs.  For me it was my love of music, there was no way I was ever going to give it up.  I have been playing the piano since I was 7 and the flute since I was 11.  Plus it was a real easy way for me to satisfy my general education arts credits.  I have so many now that I probably could sell them off (3 credits anyone, going once, twice…)  Though I am an unusual case since I typically scheduled 1 credit of ensemble (for flute) and 2 credits of private lessons for piano on top of a 15 credit work load.

It is very easy to get involved and there are many opportunities.  Check out the School of Music’s webpage for non-majors.   Campus Band, Concert Band, Campus Orchestra, and Campus Choir are all non-audition, but you may need to play or sing before the director for seating.  The rest of the groups typically have auditions during the first week of classes, so make sure to head over to the Music Building II (next to the Forum) to sign up.  Also go to www.schedule.psu.edu to see what time the ensemble you are interested in meets (make sure it doesn’t conflict with your classes) and choose Music as the course subject.  You can also schedule them right away if they do not require an audition.

The other option is private lessons with either a grad student or one of the music professors.  In order to sign up for these, you must go to the music office on the second floor for Music Building I to fill out the application for private music lessons.  If you have studied your instrument for a significant amount of time, then you will need to audition in front of the professors, so be sure to prepare some things for that.

Please email me if you would like more information on how to get involved!!

Susan Jankewicz is a super senior in Industrial Engineering. Susan will serve as a WEPO Mentor this year and is also involved the Newman Catholic Student Association and Engineering Ambassadors. Susan has completed internship rotations with GE Transportation, Johnson and Johnson's Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Sikorsky Global Helicopter and currently W. L. Gore. Contact her at slj5051@psu.edu.

Be Yourself!

Ok, I know the title sounds really cheesy, but it’s true. Coming into Penn State as an out of state student, I was nervous that everyone would already have friends from high school and nobody would want to be friends with me. Looking back on this unneeded nervousness, it seems silly. One thing that I have found about Penn State students, and women engineers in particular, is that they are so friendly and open to meeting new people. So, be open to meeting more people, and branching off from your high school friends. And out of staters, don’t be nervous like I was.

Being myself has made my Penn State experience amazing. I have met so many awesome engineers and other PSU students. I even got to meet President Graham Spanier!  I think one aspect of PSU engineering that is truly special, is the welcoming community. Definitely try to get involved in this environment. I am involved in Engineering House (E House), a living a learning community in West Halls that promotes a great and fun learning environment. E House members are willing to tutor,  help with school work, and even give life advice. Other organizations like Society of Women Engineers (SWE) also promote this fun and accepting environment. Additionally, make sure to embrace your nerdy side. It is true, most of us WEPO members are slightly nerdy inside, and we aren’t afraid to show that sometimes!

Branching out has led me to an awesome internship in Oklahoma City! This summer, I am working for Chesapeake Energy, the largest natural gas producer in the country. At first, I was slightly nervous about being so far from my home in New Jersey. I am so glad that I decided to jump on this opportunity and step out of my comfort zone. I have learned so many cool things, and been able to witness an industry that I once knew nothing about. Here is a cool video to describe some of the things that I saw in the field!

So my final advice is to be yourself, be open to meeting new people, and take positive risks. Usually they all work out in the end. And also remember, HAVE FUN!

I am so excited for WEPO 2011 and I hope you all are too!

~LEXI

Alexandra (Lexi) Greene is a sophomore majoring in Industrial Engineering. She is a WEPO 2011 rover, and is the 2011 Secretary for Engineering House, Webmaster for SWE, and is involved in the Leonhard Honors Engineering program. She is working for Chesapeake Energy Corporation in Oklahoma City this summer.

WEPO Blog: Dorm Room Packing

School is almost here!  As WEPO approaches, you’ll start packing for move-in day. Packing for college can be stressful, but we’ve provided lots of different packing lists and ideas to make your packing as painless as possible.  As you start looking over your lists, here are a few items to make sure are on your list:

1)      Bed Risers:  They give you more space under your bed for storage and help keep your room more organized!

2)      Extension Cords and Power Strips: Extension cords give you the flexibility to rearrange your room and still utilize all of your plugs. Power strips let you plug in all of your devices at once so you can charge your phone, listen to music, and straighten your hair at the same time. J

3)      Ethernet Cords: The longer the better!  Longer cords let you use the internet anywhere in your room (since the University Park dorms don’t have Wi-Fi).  This is great for long nights studying!

4)      Water Pitcher: It’s really nice to have water in your fridge all of the time. Personally, I loved having a Brita that filtered the water from the sink. (If you do get a Brita I recommend the smaller door-sized ones.)

5)      Door Stop: It’s really important to meet other people in your hall and one of the best ways to do that is to keep your door open! You will meet great people if you leave your room open to visitors.  The flip side is not to forget to visit other rooms that have their doors open in your hall!

Last but not least: Don’t over pack!  Have you ever heard the saying lay everything out and then put half of it back? That is really true here! Talk to your roommate and coordinate who will be bringing what.  You can always bring things up to school after you move-in, but it is a lot harder to take thing back home if you brought too much.

Good luck! Can’t wait to see you at WEPO!!

Christine Hildenbrand is a sophomore majoring in Mechanical Engineering. This summer, she participated in a four week Semester at Sea! She is a Rover for WEPO 2011, and is also involved in SWE, Engineering House, THON and Campus Crusade for Christ.

Do EON Too!

Jill Holloway

Hi WEPO girls!!!  I am so excited for WEPO 2011, and I can’t wait to meet all of you in just a few short weeks!  As the summer winds down it is always a bittersweet feeling.  I love the warm weather and the freedom from homework, but I also can’t wait to get back to Penn State and start another awesome school year!  My name is Jill and I am a junior in Civil & Environmental Engineering, emphasis on the Environmental Engineering.  I live in Paoli, PA and I spent my summer working and taking classes at Penn State Brandywine.  I love to swim, snowboard and just spend time with my friends.  Ok, enough about me, time for the real topic of interest.   

All of you have obviously heard about and signed up for WEPO, but you may not be aware of another program call EON, or the Engineering Orientation Network.  It is a one day orientation open to ALL first-year engineering students (so yes, boys are allowed) on Sunday, August 21.  But act now, because this offer only lasts until August 1!!!  And, if you sign up in the next 15 minutes we will give you a free breakfast and lunch!  Just kidding, everyone gets free breakfast and lunch!  You can register HERE!

So, why should you sign up for EON when you already have this fabulous orientation called WEPO? 

·         You will have even more first-year engineering students and upperclassman to network with.  Although women are more prevalent in engineering majors than ever before, it is still a male dominated profession, and at EON you will have the opportunity to meet first-year male engineering students in addition to more women engineering students.  You will soon realize that the more people you know at Penn State, the smaller and quainter the campus feels.  I can’t walk five minutes between classes without seeing someone I know.  Just saying “Hi” with a smile can really brighten my day! 

·         You will be doing different activities than WEPO, so it won’t feel like a repeat.  EON’s goal is to familiarize you to Penn State and the College of Engineering, while meeting as many of your peers as possible.  We have four sessions throughout the day that each group will participate in 

o   Icebreaker- The goal is to meet as many people as possible in a short amount of time, and that’s all I will say, I don’t want to ruin the surprise.  It is going to be super fun, so make sure you don’t miss out

o   Major Discoveries- Going to a professor’s office hours can seem like the most daunting way to study, but it can also be the most effective.  This session will let you meet professors from your major and ask them any questions you have about classes, exams or that major

o   Scavenger Hunt- Practice makes perfect.  The more you walk around campus the sooner you will learn your way and not look like all the other freshman carrying a map on the first day of classes

o   Computer Session- Are you baffled by Angel, eLion, or Webmail?   This session will give you a head start on your peers at understating these strange and confusing websites Penn State uses

·         You will have another mentor to reach out to and another group of people to do fun activities with!  Upperclassmen are filled with advice and knowledge for you to tap into.  They have already made the mistakes and figured out the keys to success, so use them as a great resources for anything from study tips to suggestions on what clubs to join

·         And honestly, who wouldn’t want to hang out with this group of people?  (EON Board of Directors)

Greetings from Seattle!

Don't ever be afraid to try something new or go somewhere different just because it is familiar to you. Moving out of your comfort zone is one of the most beneficial ways to grow and test your limits. This is true for both coming to Penn State as well as it was for me moving 3,000 miles across the country to a city where I knew no one. I have gone through this experience several times now, from going away to college to moving to two new locations for my internships.

Here is some advice about starting a life somewhere new.

The City of Seattle

1. Be okay with being alone. Learning to work through problems on your own can teach you a lot about yourself. You can learn how to use those problem-solving skills of an engineer to get through anything!
2. Make a good first impression. You will be meeting new people every day. The first impression you give someone is the way they are going to remember you forever unless you develop a longer relationship with them. So always smile :) and be happy and polite!
 3. Always ask questions. If you want to find out the best place to eat, watch a game, go for a run, etc then ask a local or in the case of Penn State an upperclassman. People love to give advice about a place where they live and love!
4. Do your research. Maps become your best friend so embrace them. Look at them often to see where you are going and all the places you want and dream of going as well. Use the tools of the internet to help create a road map for the journey ahead.


A photo of me on Pier 57 at the Waterfront Park in Downtown Seattle



5. Embrace new experiences. Moving somewhere new gives you the chance to do all the things you dreamed of! You have the chance and opportunity to break out of your shell and try a new club or sport. You can be that high school jock turned amazing theater star in college - anything is possible!

6. Never forget you have people back home that love you. And give them a call or send them a letter! It is easy to get caught up with all the craziness of moving somewhere new but don't ever forget to keep your family and friends in the loop on your always changing and exciting life.

Although it seems daunting and scary at first, you all will fall literally IN LOVE with Penn State. I have never met one person who hasn't. So get ready to begin the best four-year (or more) journey of your life! And know that we all have made it through the first new year and are here wishing we could go back again.

The world-famous sunset on Rialto Beach on the west coast on Washington.

Carlye Lauff is a junior majoring in Mechanical Engineering. She has completed internship rotations with Boeing and GE Transportation.  Carlye will serve as a Mentor in WEPO 2011. In addition, Carlye is a involved in the Society of Women Engineers and Triathlon Club.

Penn State Traditions

Welcome to Penn State!!! One of the really cool things about Penn State is all of the traditions and myths – how the school got its colors (we weren’t originally blue and white), yelling “WE ARE!” at the tour groups to hope they yell back “Penn State,” participating in THON, and of course – football!! Many quickly figure out the obvious traditions – the drum major’s flip, the floating LIONS in the Blue Band, when to sing which chants/songs, and whiteout! However, Paternoville often escapes the radar of many Penn State fans.



Paternoville as seen from above at

Gate A outside Beaver Stadium



Paternoville is a group of students dedicated to getting the best seats in the house on game day and are willing to camp out to get them. That’s right – camping. In tents. Rain or shine (or snow). There has to be one person from your group at your tent at all times 24/7 until game day. We usually camp for three nights except for the big games, that’s a five night camp out.





I’ve camped in Paternoville now four different times, twice each of my two years. Freshman year I camped out for Syracuse (and ended up on TV) and Iowa (we won’t discuss the rainy and cold game where we lost to a state that doesn’t really exist). My sophomore year I camped out for Kent State (we got front row at the 30 yard line) and Northwestern (Joe Pa’s 400^th win)! But despite the special things that are easily remembered from each game, there was a lot more to it than sitting in the front rows – the actual camping was an amazing experience.



Our Paternoville group for the 2010 Northwestern game

 when Joe Paterno got his 400^th win!



I made so many friends while camping out in Paternoville. We were all there to support our football team and to get great seats for game day. Being at the tent a lot during the day and at night, there is a lot of time to get to know the others. Whether we were throwing a football around to pass time, working on homework in our tents, saving our tents from getting rain inside, sleeping in thermal sleeping bags and boots to stay warm, creating a slip n’ slide, or singing the fight songs to the trash-can-drumline, it is impossible to not meet people and to have a great time!

This year I will be camping out again with anyone who wants to join me. I will definitely be doing the week-long camp out for the Alabama game. If you want to join in on this tradition, all you need is a sleeping bag and a tent (or know someone who has a tent)! This is an amazing experience that every Penn Stater should check off of their list of things to do before they graduate! WE ARE… PENN STATE!

Emily Wolf is a junior majoring in Aerospace Engineering. She has interned for the government.  Emily will serve as a Mentor in WEPO 2011 and is also the Engineering Orientation Network’s Vice President. In addition, Emily has been active in Engineering House and the Society of Women Engineers. .

Commonwealth Campus Advice

Welcome to Penn State girls! My name is Christine Gunther, and I am a mechanical engineering major.  I went to Penn State Brandywine for two years, and in the fall, I will be starting my last two years at University Park! Going to a commonwealth campus is a great experience, so I have a few helpful hints for those attending a commonwealth campus in the fall on how to make it a successful two years!

1) Take Advantage of Your Professors and Sit in the Front Row: By going to a commonwealth campus, you will get to know your professors, and they will get to know you as a student.  Your classes will be very small; my classes on average were about 20 students.  My highest class went up to about 40 students, but my lowest class size was 12.  (Some of my classes were even smaller than my high school classes!) This is a wonderful attribute of commonwealth campuses, especially for engineering students who need that extra attention in the classroom.  Being in such a small class, your professor will call you by name, and you will be able to participate throughout class.  With this in mind, I advise you to sit up front.  In some classes, there might even be just one or two rows of seats, but I would still sit up front if you can.  It shows that you are eager to learn, that you care and are interested in the material, and that you are willing and ready to ask questions and participate.  

2) Take Advantage of Scholarships and the Career Center- At my commonwealth campus, there were specific scholarships available for only commonwealth students.  During the spring semester, students with above a 3.0 GPA were able to send in a generic application.  There were many scholarships available, but the students didn’t have to apply to each one; the scholarship committee would select the students based on their generic applications and see which scholarship matched up with their academic talent.  The engineering department at my campus also gave out scholarships every year, so I would advise the commonwealth girls to meet with their advisor and discuss any potential scholarship opportunities.  The Career Center would also know about scholarships and internships.  Being at a small commonwealth campus, you will able to get more attention with internship questions and assistance.  Most likely your campus will also have a career fair, so when you arrive on campus in the fall, I would ask specifically when the career fairs are and sign up for them.  Also, as a commonwealth student, you are able to attend the University Park career fair in September.  I went both years, and it was a great experience.    

3) Sign up for a tutoring session and/ or create your own- When I attended PSU Brandywine, they only had tutoring available for certain Math and English classes.  The Math Center had tutoring up to Math 141, but they didn’t include some of the more challenging classes such as Math 251 and Math 230.  If this is the case for any of your commonwealth campuses, I would advise you to first ask your campus Tutoring Center what courses they have tutoring for.  If they don’t have certain classes that you would like to have extra help on, then ask if they can possibly create a tutoring group with a hired tutor.  If they aren’t able to do this, then I would advise you to create one yourself.  Gather students from your class, and ask if your teacher can meet with your group at certain times during the week.  If your professor is unable to fit this in their schedule, still meet with your friends from class to do homework, but ask questions during class and/or office hours to understand the material.    My math professor that taught me for 4 out of 5 math courses was very helpful and available to ask questions during class and outside of class (and so were all of my other professors), so don’t hesitate to ask for extra help whenever you need it. 

WEPO Teams!

Teams for WEPO 2011 have been created! Freshmen women- look forward to your mentors and rovers getting in contact with you throughout the remainder of your summer!

The leadership team cannot wait for your arrival on August 17th! Hope you had an incredible July 4th weekend and are looking forward to the best WEPO yet!

Living in Supplemental

Now that you’ve chosen to go to Penn State, the next thing on your mind is when your room assignments will finally be getting here!  Special living options, East Halls, living with friends or simply doing random selection, the choices are endless.  While I knew several people who were not only going to Penn State, but also were going for engineering, I opted for the option of getting the “freshman experience” by living in East and taking my chances with a random roommate.  Unfortunately I wasn’t as lucky as I thought I’d be…middle of summer I got a letter saying I was in supplemental housing (something I knew nothing about).  A website was included in the letter explaining more about the situation (www.supplemental.psu.edu).  I read up on it, and it turns out that I would be put into a room with at least 3, or possibly 7 other girls!  I almost cried.  I was worried enough about having to deal with one roommate, now I might have to deal with more?  The website had quotes from people who had lived in supplemental before.  Of course everything said something along the lines of that it was the greatest experience and when given the option to move out, all of them chose to stay with each other.  Yeah right, I knew I was getting out of there as quick as I could. 

When room assignments arrived, I found out that I would only have to live with three other girls!  Not soon after I received an email from the one girl, Alyssa, saying a little bit more about herself.  I wasn’t quite sure about her at first, but as we continued to exchange emails I got more and more excited about the school year.  Finally move in day arrived! Thanks to WEPO I moved in first (and am so grateful that I was able to).  The room was a bit smaller than I had imagined…an indent in the wall as a closet, bunk-beds, and 4 dressers smack-dab in the middle; there was no room to play around with the design.  It was a mess. 

After WEPO I came back to the room to see two of the girls had already moved in and had already moved some of my stuff around.  Not a good first impression for me.  I took a deep breath and moved on though and focused on getting to know them more.  The next day the last girl moved in and it was obvious she wasn’t happy with the space we were given.  As we started talking we all felt more comfortable with each other and even went to different activities together.  We each had a different bond with one another and it worked perfectly. 

The third week into the school year I checked my webmail and found out that I was assigned to a different room, in McKee hall.  The complete opposite end of campus, but it was the engineering dorm!  My 8 am class that was held in Hammond would no longer take 30 minutes to walk to!  Yet, I would have to make friends with a new roommate/hallmates. I was torn, but had no choice in the move and was given only 3 days to get out. 

Being reassigned was possibly the lowest point of my freshman year.  I had felt comfortable in my room and had taken up to calling it home.  Now I was coming into a completely new building where everyone already knew each other.  Granted it was great living in E-house (it definitely had many perks), but I missed my old roommates.  It took me until spring semester to realize that I didn’t have to drop my friends from my life just because I moved across campus.  You can schedule classes together, join the same clubs, start traditions (a weekly movie night is always a good idea); even if you’re in opposite majors doesn’t mean you have to give up a forming friendship.  So if come July 18^th when you log into eliving and find out you’ll be living with several other girls, don’t freak out.  I promise it’ll be ok.  Just go with the flow, they may turn out to be your best friends :-)

Ashley Fowler is a sophomore majoring in Computer Science. Ashley participated in WEPO 2010 and will be serving as a Rover in WEPO 2011. On campus, she is involved in the Society of Women Engineers, Blue and White Society, THON and ASME.

Balance, Balance, Balance

Hello to all of the new WEPO girls! Welcome to the next chapter of your education! I would say it’s safe to assume that some of you (probably all of you) are a little nervous to start this new stage in your life- and hopefully excited too! College can definitely be overwhelming and scary at first, but before you know it you will be a pro! The key is to find a balance between your school work and the rest of your life. And there are plenty of ways to do that! Don’t be alarmed if you don’t find that balance right away, it takes some time. But I am going to help fill you in on some ways that you can get it!

First, remember that the main reason you are attending Penn State is to get an education so obviously you always want to stay on top of your schoolwork. But spending every single day just doing homework, studying, and attending class all day is not only going to exhaust you, it will make you very unhappy as well. Think about things you like to do and make it a point to set aside time to do that every day! Maybe if you have a free hour, go to the gym and get some endorphins going through your system. Or if you value time with friends, plan to go eat lunch or dinner together. If you have a favorite show, plan to get your work done earlier so you can set aside that hour to watch your show!

Second, I’m sure you heard all through high school and now entering college that you should get involved. Not to be repetitive but that is great advice! At Penn State, there are hundreds of things to get into- including clubs, sports, etc. Find something that sounds fun or interesting- even if you’ve never done it before! That’s the beauty of going to college, you can try new things and find out what you love. If you’re not sure where to start, you fortunately have about 40 girls on the WEPO leadership team who have plenty of experience in getting involved in several different activities at PSU that you can talk to. By doing this, you will meet so many people and create friendships that will shape your college experience. This will also open up doors to other opportunities in the future and will give you something to look forward to besides just school work.

Finally, don’t forget to keep in touch with the people you love back home! Whether that’s your parents, your siblings, your friends, etc. Make sure you catch up with them every now and then. It’s important to keep your relationships with the people that will be there for you when you need them the most. And I’m sure that they will love hearing from you when you have the time!

A little secret: you can still have a life if you are majoring in engineering! In fact, you will have a more nourishing time if you make it a point to add things to your life that are separate from your engineering classes- you can even do that by joining engineering clubs! It will make you a better-rounded person. Do what you like and find ways to make your time at PSU as enjoyable and rewarding as possible. You only have 4 years so make it count! Get ready for the time of your life, ladies!

Jacki Guillemette is a junior majoring in Mechanical Engineering. She is currently interning with United Technologies Company.  Jacki has served as a Rover and now Mentor for the WEPO program. In addition to WEP, she is involved in ASME, THON's Rules and Regulations Committee and Engineering Ambassadors.

How to Avoid Being Home Sick

Ok, so I will be the first to admit that I get homesick every now and then. No matter what, there will be at least one time when you wish your mom would make you a huge heaping of mashed potatoes (mashed potatoes are my fave!). Here are some tricks I learned to keep that homesick feeling at bay!

1)      Be extremely active: Whenever I feel homesick I try and make plans with my friends or go to a cool event psu is having (there is always a ton). If you are joking around with your friends or listening to a cool new student band, you won’t be thinking about your home.

2)      Get Green: So the new trend these days is to “go green” but this can actually help with homesickness too. I’m not saying that switching to diesel or recycling your plastics will help you forget about your favorite meal (have you noticed all the food references? It’s pretty much why I go home J ), but actually having the color green around you. Some researchers a few years ago found that the color green actually helps squash home sickness, and they recommended college kids get green towels, comforters, etc. I went with green towels and I think they help! If you don’t like the color green that’s totally fine there are plenty of other options to help home-sickness!!

3)      Get A Good Book: For some reason curling up in a blanket with an amazing book (For example: Twilight, not that I read that vampire junk…) makes me feel like I’m at home. Throwing yourself into a good book can be a great way to relax after an exhausting day of classes or after a rough weekend. Just grab a cup of hot chocolate from the campus coffee shop, throw on your fluffy rabbit slippers (everyone has them right?) and call it a day.

4)      Friend and a Fourth (another food reference): Haven’t heard of 4^th meal? Well let me introduce you to a wonderful phenomenon: at South Commons (don’t worry I can show you where that is) from 9pm-1am the cafeteria opens for 4^th meal. It’s amazing, they have mozzarella sticks, scrambled eggs, hash browns, tater tots (someone should be concerned that I memorized the menu) and lots of other good food. If you’re feeling down one night grab a friend and eat up! You talk and laugh and have a blast, all while consuming grade A calories!  

5)      Talk to a WEPO Gal: Last but not least, I would suggest getting in touch with your WEPO friends a.s.a.p.! Call me and we can hit the gym up or grab food! Or call your mentor or rover! Someone is always available to chat; you will find WEPO is a great resource and you should use it as much as you can! Its really unlikely that with all the girls in WEPO not one of them is feeling/ has felt the same way you are at that moment, so talk to us and we can help. Always remember WEPO is like a big family and someone can help you no matter what! Good luck next year girls, I know you will all do well!!!

Jess Menold is a junior majoring in Mechanical Engineering. She has completed an internship rotation with Boeing.  Jess will serve as a Mentor in WEPO 2011 and is also active in the American Society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and THON.

PSU A CAPPELLA: Sing until you’re Blue in the FACE

Hello everyone! My name is Brandi Wingate and I am going to be a Senior in Aerospace Engineering this year at Penn State. I know that you all will be hearing over and over “get involved” but the truth is you really should get involved. Getting involved is pretty much the best thing you can do at Penn State in addition to your academic work. My philosophy of extracurricular activities is kind of different from most engineers, however. As much as I love engineering and the engineering clubs Penn State has to offer, I really love participating in non-engineering activities to keep the non-technical part of my brain active. For me, my favorite thing to do outside of engineering is singing!

The 2^nd semester of my freshman year I realized that I was in desperate need of something to do that had NOTHING to do with numbers and problem solving. I had always loved singing so I decided to check out an a cappella group on campus. I auditioned for Blue in the FACE and got in! That was probably one of the best things that has happened to me during my time at Penn State. My a cappella group meets twice a week for 2 hours. It’s not a huge time commitment but it’s enough to get your mind off of technical stuff and to have some fun with non-engineers. Our group is a mix of 25 different majored kids, most of which have never had vocal training before. We are different from all other a cappella groups due to our “small group” approach in which members can arrange music of their own, teach it to a small group of other members, and then perform the piece at our semester concert and other events throughout the semester. One of my favorite parts of the group is that we aren’t a bunch of kids who get together twice a week to hang out. We are all one giant family and we LOVE what we do. We hang out a ton and I have a group of non-engineering friends that can keep me sane and involved at Penn State.

Another different part about Blue in the FACE is that we are a THON organization. I started the THON group 2 years ago and have been THON chair since. We’ve raised over $20,000 for kids with cancer within the past 2 years! We also are very fortunate to be paired with a THON family of 4 who we keep in close contact and set up lots of hang out times to see the kids. Our THON child, Isabella Rinier, is 4 now and has had Neuroblastoma for over a year. Our love and support has helped her a ton to fight her cancer and we will continue to be there for her and her family for many years to come. This is an incredible part of FACE and I am so proud to be involved.

Ok, so anyway…back to a cappela! There are a bunch of groups you can get involved with at Penn State. Some are better than others (in my opinion..) . Here is my personal breakdown of the groups:

1)      Blue in the FACE-- 25+ co-ed members who form small groups within the group, allowing members to have their own chance at arranging, directing and performing music at numerous concerts throughout the year. We have so much fun that we all turn Blue in the FACE! (check out our youtube videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/BlueInTheFACEpsu)

2)      NOTA—one of PSU’s older co-ed a cappella groups. They are super fun and even compete in a cappella competitions. They are a Penn State organization and are funded by the University for concerts/road trips/etc.

3)      Pennharmonics—these guys are NOT a PSU organization and are not funded (this also means they do not need to have 20+ members which makes them small and competitive). They have been around for a while and are pretty good, but very competitive.

4)      Shades of Blue—one of the smaller co-ed groups on campus that I have always looked up to. They do some really neat arrangements of songs, but are also EXTREMELY competitive.

5)      Savoire Faire—an all-girls a cappella group on campus. They were really great last year! It’s not too hard to get into this group and they seem to have a lot of fun together J

6)      Grace Notes—a Christian co-ed a cappella group on campus. I don’t know too much about them, but when I’ve seen them perform they looked like they were having a blast!

So overall, get involved and if music is your thing—DO A CAPPELLA! Look for flyers hanging up in the HUB and the commons around campus to see when auditions are. The activity fair during the first week of classes is also a great place to find more information about auditioning and other music groups at Penn State. A cappella is so much fun and a great experience to have at college. You’ll meet so many people and will have a great stress reliever to counteract the tough engineering classes.

I hope this helps. Can’t wait to see everyone at WEPO! If you have any questions, please call/text or email me (610-739-5073 or brandi.wingate@gmail.com)

WE ARE! PENN STATE!

<3 Brandi Wingate