Sports Coverage

In addition to filming an interview with President Rodney Erickson for The Daily Collegian, I covered a baseball game and a men's lacrosse game this week.

Penn State's Patton Taylor, 42, warms up to pitch at the Penn State vs. Coppin State baseball game on Wednesday, March 28, 2012 in State College, Pa. Penn State won 6-2 and 7-1 in a double header. Photo by Krista Myers

Reagan Bell, 3, daughter of the pitching coach, runs onto Medlar Field after a Penn State Baseball game on Wednesday, March 28, 2012 in State College, Pa. Penn State won 6-2 and 7-1 in a double header. Photo by Krista Myers

Penn State's Jack Forster, 9, shoots at goal during the Penn State Mens Lacrosse vs. Villanova game on Saturday, March 31, 2012 in State College, Pa. Penn State won 13-8. Photo by Krista Myers

Villanova's Dan Gutierrez, 11, pauses before going back onto Medlar Field after halftime of the Penn State Mens Lacrosse vs. Villanova game on Saturday, March 31, 2012 in State College, Pa. Penn State won 13-8. Photo by Krista Myers

More General News

The assignment was to submit two photos that depict general news. This news wasn't general, but it was the biggest story this school year for any Penn Stater. Here are a few shots from the Joe Paterno funeral procession.

Students, fans and community members take photos with their phones and cameras as the funeral procession of Penn State former head football coach Joe Paterno makes its way through Penn State campus on Jan. 25, 2012 in State College, Pa.

Bellefonte happenings

The class traveled to Bellefonte, Pa. to shoot anything that caught the eye. I teamed up with classmate Amanda August and found interest in a hair salon, coffee shop, pizza shop and Red Hat Society meeting.

Amy Yeaney, the owner and head stylist of Amy's Fine Cuts hair salon,  cuts Rayman Watson's hair in Bellefonte, Pa. on Tuesday, March 20, 2012. Photo by Krista Myers

Wendy Fultz, of Bellefonte, Pa., serves a piece of cake to a regular customer at her coffee shop Cool Beans Coffee and Tea in Bellefonte, Pa. on Tuesday, March 20, 2012. Photo by Krista Myers

"Uncle Joe" or Joe Suhey prepares a line of pies at Pizza Mia's pizza shop in Bellefonte, Pa. on Tuesday, March 20, 2012. Photo by Krista Myers

A group of Red Hat Society women known as the "Rail Clickers and Street Spitters" poses for photojournalism students during their brunch meeting at the Governor's Pub in Bellefonte, Pa. on Tuesday, March 20, 2012. Mary Lou Houtz, or "Queen Mama", front center, celebrates her birthday today. Photo by Krista Myers

Shirley Moore, front, of Lamar, Pa. poses with members of the Red Hat Society group known as the "Rail Clickers and Street Spitters" during their brunch meeting at the Governor's Pub in Bellefonte, Pa. on Tuesday, March 20, 2012. Photo by Krista Myers

Chrissey Motter, of Blanchard, Pa. poses with members of the Red Hat Society group known as the "Rail Clickers and Street Spitters" during their brunch meeting at the Governor's Pub in Bellefonte, Pa. on Tuesday, March 20, 2012. Photo by Krista Myers

Jean Hesler, of Lockhaven, Pa. poses with members of the Red Hat Society group known as the "Rail Clickers and Street Spitters" during their brunch meeting at the Governor's Pub in Bellefonte, Pa. on Tuesday, March 20, 2012. Photo by Krista Myers

THON 2012

THON dancer Lucas Hahn, of Club Swimming,  plays a ball game on Saturday morning.  Photo by Krista Myers

The Singing Lions ensemble perform on stage at THON 2012 on Saturday morning. Photo by Krista Myers

THON dancer Jackie Calder, an independent dancer, does the line dance. Photo by Krista Myers

THON dancer, Nina Wingert, of Gamma Phi Beta, dances in the stands at THON 2012 on Saturday morning. Photo by Krista Myers

THON dancer, Derek Wolfe, of Society of Engineering Science, colors in a coloring book at THON 2012 on Saturday morning. Photo by Krista Myers

THON moraler Christina Wang, left, and dancer Jared Yarnall-Schane, of Engineering Undergraduate Counsel,  color in a coloring book on Saturday morning. Photo by Krista Myers

Defining Beauty

Everyone defines beauty in a different way.

To be honest, I couldn't think of how to define beauty when this assignment came upon me. Beauty can be seen in physical features, attitudes and beliefs, or what a person gives of himself or herself. My boyfriend suggested I find a pregnant woman to make portraits of, but that is easier said than done.

As I scrambled throughout the weekend, I contacted the president of the Singing Lions song and dance group here at Penn State. Thankfully, they were rehearsing on Sunday afternoon.

Members of the Singing Lions song and dance ensemble at Penn State University Park rehearse in the music building on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012. While learning choreography for the song "Waterloo" by ABBA, a man in the group asked, "What happens if we reach the girls?" Lauren Lynch, a senior world languages education major and current president of the group, in blue, said, "Thank God, because we're beautiful!" Photo by Krista Myers

Fallon Dungan, front, a freshman studying liberal arts, and other members of the Singing Lions ensemble at Penn State University Park rehearse in the music building on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012. The members practice three times a week to show audiences the beauty of song and dance. Photo by Krista Myers

Devon Fields, front, a freshman studying communications, and other members of the Singing Lions ensemble at Penn State University Park rehearse in the music building on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012. The members practice three times a week to show audiences the beauty of song and dance. Photo by Krista Myers

People Who Help People

The assignment for this week was to find an example of a person or people who help others. Nothing jumped into my thoughts instantly until Thursday afternoon: a crossing guard. Once again, I knew I had to get it done early because I was going to Saratoga, N.Y. to can for THON over the weekend.

So, I woke up at 7am Friday morning (before by 10:10am class) to drive 30 seconds to State College High School to find a crossing guard.

Crossing guard, Frank Machi, of State College, Pa., stops traffic to let a student cross the street between the north and south State College High School buildings on the morning of Thursday, Jan. 3, 2012. Machi is there to help students and teachers cross the street each morning before school. Photo by Krista Myers

Sad Valley: Covering Joe Paterno's Death

For many Penn Staters, last week was a very dark time in Happy Valley history. 

Fans started gathering outside Beaver Stadium at the bronze statue of Paterno on Saturday night when a false report came through that Joe Paterno had passed. However, Scott Paterno, one of his sons, tweeted to let the public know he was still fighting for his life.

Joe Paterno died of lung cancer on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012. 

Here are a few of the photos I captured throughout the week (in addition to my earlier post of a video at the statue): 

Two candles illuminate a few of the articles fans placed beside the statue of former Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno while mourners walk behind the statue in State College, Pa. on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. Paterno died on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012. Photo by Krista Myers

Students hang a banner to show support while waiting for the funeral procession of former Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno at the 100 block of East College Avenue in State College, Pa. on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012. Paterno died on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012. Photo by Krista Myers

Two students hang out of a window waiting to see the funeral procession of former Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno at the 100 block of East College Avenue in State College, Pa. on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012. Paterno died on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012. Photo by Krista Myers

The crowd on East College Avenue waits for the funeral procession of former Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno to make its way through downtown State College, Pa. on Wednesday, Jan. 25 2012. Students, alumni, fans and community members waited for almost two hours to see the procession. Paterno died on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012. Photo by Krista Myers

Alphabet Portrait(s)

The assignment was to pick an alphabet letter out of a hat, find a person who held a job or career that started with that letter and make a few portraits of that person.


When I saw the hopeful "S" appear in my palm, I automatically thought, seamstress. I only knew of one. In fall 2010, I wrote a feature story about Shelley Banker, the owner of a vintage clothing shop in downtown State College, Pa. called the Rag and Bone. At the time, she had one other employee: a seamstress.


I strolled into the store last Wednesday evening with hopes that I had made enough of a good impression the last time I spoke with Banker and her seamstress. It turned out that Banker was camera shy, but Edna Rentschler, her seamstress, was not.


After two shoots - one in the shop and one in her home - I decided to turn these three photos in for the assignment:

Seamstress Edna Rentschler, of Boalsburg, Pa., threads a needle before sewing a dress at the Rag and Bone vintage clothing shop in State College, Pa. on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012. In addition to working at the vintage shop, she does alterations for several clients in the State College area under her company name "Sew Sew Easy". Photo by Krista Myers

Edna Rentschler, of Boalsburg, Pa., alters a dress for the Rag and Bone, a vintage clothing shop where she works as a seamstress, in her home sewing room on Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. The purpose of the tattoo was to cover up a scar from a wrist surgery. Rentschler will be back in the operating room in a few weeks to fix a tendon in her wrist again.  Photo by Krista Myers

Edna Rentschler, of Boalsburg, Pa., looks up from sewing a skirt in her home sewing room on Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. In addition to working as a seamstress at the Rag and Bone vintage clothing shop, she does alterations for several clients in the State College area under her company name "Sew Sew Easy". Photo by Krista Myers

Here's one more for good luck:

I couldn't resist her dog, Gracie, but she kept her eye on my bulky camera during the entire visit.

Journalists have feelings too

Last night, a good friend told me that Joe Paterno was in critical condition. Ironically, I was on my way to the HUB-Robeson Center to see the movie "50/50"- a comedy/drama about a young man who becomes stricken with cancer.


Cancer.


It's all around us. My family experienced loss in October of last year when my uncle passed away from lung cancer. The image of my now 6-year-old cousin kneeling beside his casket will never leave my memory.


This morning, I woke up at 10:40am with texts from my mom and my boyfriend informing me that Joe Paterno had passed away. To be honest, I felt kind of numb. I was raised on Penn State. My parents met here and my sister went here, along with most of my relatives as well. I've been going to football games to sit in section SJ, row 17 every year for most of my life. I was never obsessed with "Joe Pa" or football, but the news hit close to home.


Shortly after I woke up, my multimedia editor at the Daily Collegian contacted me to ask if I would be available to go to the Joe Paterno statue outside of Beaver Stadium. I jumped on the opportunity. This is the response I gathered:

I am a journalist, and I know I'm supposed to be unbiased and separated from the situation, but I have feelings too. I am allowed to cry.

The best thing about Penn State

Our professor gave us an assignment to find "the best thing about Penn State". Without much explanation and virtually no guidelines, he set us free. The first thing I thought about was that I needed to get this assignment done ASAP because I was going home over the long weekend to shoot another story I've been working on for almost a year. I took my camera with me before class on Thursday in hopes to get a somewhat aerial shot of students dragging themselves to early classes in the rain, umbrellas in hand. It would represent the dedication of the student body as a whole. However, the sun decided to show its lovely face that day.


Walking through the HUB-Robeson Center that afternoon, I noticed there were students playing pool in The Break Zone game room and the vast majority of them were Asian. Ah-ha! went my brain. Diversity, opportunity, fun, friendship, etc. raced through my thoughts. I went back to the room that evening around 9pm.


Here is what I came up with after I asked a few people if I could photograph them:

Frank Meng, a freshman majoring in finance and mathematics, plays pool with his friend in The Break Zone game room in the HUB-Robeson Center at Penn State. Both he and his friend are foreign exchange students studying here from China. Photo by Krista Myers

Tyler Zhang, a freshman majoring in industrial engineering, plays pool with his friend in The Break Zone game room in the HUB-Robeson Center at Penn State. Both he and his friend are foreign exchange students studying here from China. Photo by Krista Myers 

Frank Meng, left, a freshman majoring in finance and mathematics, and Tyler Zhang, a freshman majoring in industrial engineering, play pool in The Break Zone game room in the HUB-Robeson Center at Penn State. Both are foreign exchange students studying here from China. Photo by Krista Myers

Once I overcame my own cognitive dissonance, I was able to talk to two very personable men studying here from China. Not only did I feel happy because I completed the assignment, but I conquered a silly fear of mine and had fun while doing so.