The second annual Paterno Fellows Recognition Ceremony will take place on Monday, January 9, 7:00 p.m. in Heritage Hall of the HUB. New fellows will be honored –freshmen and sophs and some juniors–but those Fellows who were honored last year are also expected to attend, as should all aspiring Fellows.
Mark your calendars now; this is a required event.
And it should be an enjoyable one. This has been a difficult few weeks–and that’s all the more reason to come together and celebrate. Let us begin the new year by honoring students for their fine work and commitment. Let’s reinforce our sense of what we’re all about and rededicate ourselves to what we stand for.
The main guests of honor will be the 125 or so new Fellows–those who qualified last May, those who will qualify after this semester’s grades are in (we’ll let you know about that before Christmas!), and those first-year students in the Schreyer Honors College who have also chosen to be Paterno Fellows. In addition, the 200 or so “pioneer” PF students who were honored last year should attend to show their support, and so should those who are still in the pipeline as “aspirants” in their freshman or sophomore year–plan to attend in order to support and celebrate your classmates.
New Fellows will be recognized by name at the event. Those Fellows in attendance will also receive a nice Paterno Fellows hooded sweatshirt as an acknowledgment of their status–don’t worry, we’ll have one in your size. (Incidentally, you can also expect to receive a more permanent symbol of your accomplishments as Paterno Fellows when you graduate.)
Here’s what you can expect on January 9 (in a program designed by the Paterno Fellows Student Advisory Board):
- An event that lasts no more than 75 minutes, including the short dessert reception after;
- Some suitable music by Irreconcilable Differences;
- A few words by a Paterno Fellow who will speak about what the Program is all about;
- Another short, featured presentation by Rick Barry: Mr Barry is an investor and philanthropist who has given major support to the PF program and to several other enterprises. Among other things, he is one of the owners of the San Diego Padres baseball team, and his remarks are sure to be interesting. For more on Mr Barry, see the recent Penn State Live story.
- A short recognition of the Fellows, followed by celebratory food and drink;
- A surprise or two.
Last year Joe and Sue Paterno attended, and we hope that Mr Paterno’s health might permit him to attend again this time: we’ll see. In addition, we have invited President Erickson, and expect Deans Susan Welch and Chris Long as well as Deans Brady and Upneja of the Schreyer Honors College all to attend–and other guests.