Penn State Abington's faculty and staff kept busy during the lazy days of summer with research, travel, civic engagement and just plain good fun. Although no one admitted to revisiting Woodstock, N.Y., for the 40th anniversary of that infamously wild, musical weekend, here's a sneak peek at what some of Abington's most adventuresome were up to during the weeks of summer:
Leah Devlin, acting assistant dean of academic affairs and division head of science and engineering, and Pete Capelotti, assistant professor of anthropology, walked the full length of Hadrian's Wall in northern England this summer. The wall was built beginning in 122 A.D. to keep Roman Britain safe from hostile attacks from the northern barbaric tribes in what is known as Scotland today. In 1987 the wall was designated a World Heritage Site. Hiking a total of 84 miles from the Irish Sea to the North Sea, Devlin and Capelotti traversed all types of terrain: through costal plains and pastoral fields, and over craggy mountains and urban concrete. After enduring eight hours of hiking each day (approximately 12 miles a day), periods of rain and a blister or two on their tired feet, the team still raved about the trip.
"It was truly a fun adventure; a trip that combined history, archeology, rugged natural beauty, and at the same time was a test of physical endurance," said Devlin. "I was sad when the trip ended." To see a video of their trip along Hadrian's Wall, presented in three parts, visit the following URLs:
-- Part one: /video/174705/2013/02/09/video-no-title
-- Part two: /video/174706/2013/02/09/video-no-title
-- Part three: /video/174707/2013/02/09/video-no-title
Jim Hopfz, Web marketing manager, volunteered as a launch boat driver for the upcoming Philadelphia International Dragon Boat Festival, Oct. 3, on the Schuylkill River. Launch boat drivers went out on the Schuylkill in separate boats to ensure team safety during summer practice sessions.
"I really enjoyed being out on the river," said Hopf. "The teams worked a lot harder than I did. It wasn't all fun and games. They were really sweating and suffering to get ready for the race." For more information on these spectacular boat races, go to the official Philadelphia Dragon Boat Festival Web site at http://www.philadragonboatfestival.com/ online.
Karen Weaver, athletic director, was busy writing an article about the benefits of social media for college athletics. Her article, "At Your Fingertips," was recently published in the June/July edition of Athletic Management. Although her article is geared to athletic directors, it is a wealth of knowledge for anyone still stumped by the terms "social networks," "Facebook," "Twitter," "blogs," or "Linkedin." Read it at http://www.athleticmanagement.com/2009/06/10/at_your_fingertips/index.php online.
Joy Fraunfelter, assistant director of workforce solutions, played mom to 31 teenagers this summer. And yes, she volunteered to do it. Fraunfelter traveled to New Orleans with the teens for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) National Youth Conference. Her group joined 37,000 other teens from around the country as they involved themselves in learning about the area, team building, sightseeing, and service projects. Fraunfelter's group hopes to bring back to their own community of Royersford, the idea of getting young people involved in community service.
Tramble T. Turner, associate professor of English, presented a paper at an international Irish Studies Conference held at the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUI, G) in June. The title of Turner's paper, "Henry P. McIlhenny: An Irish-American Art Curator 'Rediscovers' and 'Resettles' the West of Ireland," examined how McIlhenny's 46 years in residence at Glenveagh Castle in County Donegal during the summers shaped his aesthetic. During the conference in Galway, it was announced that Turner will host the 2010 annual meeting of the American Conference for Irish Studies in May at the Penn Stater Conference Center at University Park. While in Ireland, Turner, as an invited guest, enjoyed some good Irish cooking at the third annual Taste of Dublin food festival.