Spiking their way to the top

The 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing put the sport of volleyball directly in center stage, viewed around the clock by nations all over the world.

With strong showings on both the male and female sides, the United States made a statement that volleyball is a true American sport, as its men’s and women’s teams won gold and silver medals, respectively.

Meanwhile, on North Broad Street, the volleyball team is doing its best to follow the lead of its professional counterparts.

And so far, so good.

The Owls opened up the Atlantic Ten Conference portion of their schedule with four wins in a row before falling last Sunday to Saint Louis.

All told, the Cherry and White currently stand at 11-7 overall, with a 4-1 record in A-10 play that puts them in first place in the East Division.

Those results have done enough to please junior setter Jackie Morrison, who leads the team with 710 assists. The Stony Brook, N.Y., native has also added 43 kills and 106 digs on the season.
“I feel really good,” she said. “I’m excited. We look better this year.”

Last year, the Owls finished with a 9-4 record in A-10 play, a mark the squad is eager to improve on this season.

Their coach, Bob Bertucci, who is entering his 29th season as Division I coach, looks at the team’s confidence and its chemistry and how it applies to its play.

“The girls get along with each other great,” he said. “Their energy is good. The girls want to be successful.”

After a distinguished career at Army, Rutgers-Newark and Tennessee, Bertucci joined Temple in 1995. He boasts a 645-338 overall record after this weekend’s games, including 293 wins in 14 seasons with Temple.

This distinguished career allows the coach to provide his team with insight toward improving the squad.
“We need to clean up our game,” Bertucci said. “The team is young, and obviously the more they play the more mature they get, and the better they will take care of the ball.”

Paramount to that is the play of junior outside hitter Yun Yi Zhang, who fronts the team with 323 kills and stands in third place with 56 blocks. She is largely responsible for putting points on the scoreboard for the Owls.

Bertucci and the rest of his squad will need her to continue her strong play as the Cherry and White prepare for a road trip to Ohio this weekend to take on Dayton Friday and Xavier Saturday. Both the Flyers and Musketeers are currently undefeated in A-10 Conference play at 2-0, with the Flyers looking to defend last year’s A-10 Championship.

The Owls don’t return home until Oct. 17 against George Washington for the first of four consecutive matches at McGonigle Hall.

Evan Macy can be reached at evan.macy@temple.edu.

Major commitment is paying dividends for ice hockey team

Club teams at Temple can sometimes go unnoticed, but the ice hockey squad is one that deserves recognition.

Last year, the Owls finished third in the Southeast Division of the Division II Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Hockey Association with a 17-9-1 record, missing nationals by just one game. With the team looking to improve from last season, it was up to the players when it came to offseason training.

“Due to ACHA rules and everything, I really can’t be with them, but a bunch of them got together every single week and trained for speed and agility,” coach Aaron Voegtli said. “They also shot pucks and lifted weights. They really got themselves in shape, and it is paying dividends because we would usually have problems with three game weekends, and we skated right through it this time.”

Voegtli expects his team to make it to the regional tournament again this year and hopefully, to the national tournament as well.

“We’ve got the depth to do it,” he said.

The Owls opened their 2008-2009 season on Sept. 26 with an away game against Penn. Senior forward and captain Mike Roeding netted three goals and senior goaltender Mark Berkheimer stopped 23 of 25 shots en route to a 7-2 victory. The next day, the team played its home opener against Rider at the Flyers Skate Zone. Junior forward Ryan Frain led the team with a hat trick, as the Owls cruised to a 13-3 win. Freshman goalie Morgan Ostendorff was solid in net, stopping 19 of 22 shots. Finally, the Owls met archrival William Paterson to conclude their opening weekend. The last time these two teams met, the contest turned into the second longest game in college history, as it lasted for more than two hours, with the Owls losing 3-2.

With that, the Cherry and White are looking for revenge and their first win over William Paterson in four meetings. Behind a hat trick from junior forward Chris Altomare, the Owls won 6-4.

“It felt good because they are nationally ranked and they are one of our biggest rivals, to put three on them it felt pretty nice,” Altomare said.

Berkheimer stood tall in the net and made 22 saves on 26 shots in the contest.

“It was huge going down there and beating those guys after they beat us the last three times” Berkheimer said.

The biggest game of the year for the Owls took place last Friday, as Penn came to town in the first-ever match-up between the two squads. The Owls rallied back from a 3-1 deficit to force a 3-3 tie with the Ice Lions. They pulled another comeback last Saturday, as they fought back from a 2-1 deficit to defeat the College of New Jersey 5-3.

Yet, setting all of that up is a story of its own.

The Owls compete at the Division II level in the MACHA Division. The team consists of 25 skaters and three goaltenders. They play against teams from local schools such as Saint Joseph’s, Villanova and Penn.

Since ice hockey is an expensive sport, the squad receives funds from Temple. The players are then responsible for making up the difference.

This year the team had an overall budget need of about $65,000. Campus Recreation allocated the hockey team $22,000. Campus Recreation receives a large sum each year from the General Activities Fee. The money is then split among all club teams depending on their financial needs. The allocation for the ice hockey team depends on referee and equipment costs, tournament fees and its past performances.

The focus remains on the ice, and with the Owls off to a 4-0-1 start, the team’s morale remains high.
They face off next with Seton Hall Friday at 8:30 p.m. at the Flyers Skate Zone in Northeast Philadelphia.

John Mehler can be reached at john.mehler@temple.edu.

Midterm grades

Quarterback
When redshirt senior Adam DiMichele played, he was terrific.

The problem was keeping him on the field.

The Owls’ undisputed leader performed brilliantly in the first three games of the season, completing 60 percent of his passes and throwing for 620 yards and five touchdowns.

But he injured his shoulder on Sept. 20 against Penn State, and his replacement, redshirt freshman Chester Stewart, didn’t look like a Division I-caliber quarterback until last Saturday against Miami (Ohio).

There, he threw for 178 yards and three touchdowns, including a 43-yard strike to senior wide receiver Bruce Francis that put the game away.

It was a much, much improved performance for Stewart, but still, everyone should be hoping that DiMichele can make his expected return to the lineup on Oct. 21 against Ohio.

Without him, the Owls have little chance of turning things around in the second half of the season.
Grade: DiMichele, A; Stewart, C-

Backfield
What started out as a two-headed monster between sophomore Marquise Liverpool and redshirt freshman Joe Jones has turned into a Jones-dominated backfield.

Even though the Owls have been more successful when the likes of freshman cornerback Kee-ayre Griffin and freshman wide receiver James Nixon enter the game as change-of-pace backs, or when either DiMichele or Stewart improvises on a broken passing play, the fact that Jones has won the job should be recognized.

However, Jones is averaging just 2.8 yards per carry, a number that should be better, even though the Owls run a pass-first offense.
Grade: C+

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Pass catchers can only go as far as the man throwing them the ball, so it comes as no surprise that this group has had some up-and-down weeks.

Against Connecticut on Sept. 6 (wind and rain) and Penn State and Western Michigan on Sept. 20 and 27 (Stewart), they were nearly invisible.

Against Army on Aug. 29, Buffalo on Sept. 13 and Miami (Ohio), they shined.

Central to that has been the steady play of Francis, who has caught 18 passes for 239 yards and five touchdowns on the season.

The complementary pass catchers, like redshirt senior Travis Shelton and juniors Jason Harper and Steve Maneri, have made some nice plays, but they’ve also dropped some balls.
Grade: B

Offensive Line
Penalties, penalties, penalties.

The problem has never really been protecting DiMichele and Stewart or opening holes for Jones and the rest of the running backs, it’s been avoiding all the holding calls that stall drives and bring big plays back.

While they are not responsible for all of it, a large portion of the blame for the Owls’ 50 penalties for 428 yards (compared to 28 for 291 for their opponents) falls on this group.

That’s the reason coach Al Golden continues to add freshmen into the mix, as his veteran players like redshirt junior tackle Devin Tyler continue to welcome the yellow flags from the referees.
Grade: C-

Defensive Line
Even though expected starter senior Leyon Azubuike finally played his first minutes last Saturday, this group has been fairly solid.

Sure, Connecticut redshirt junior running back Donald Brown ran all over the line to the tune of 220 yards, and Miami (Ohio) sophomore running back Thomas Merriweather ran for 136 yards of his own, but in both instances, each rusher only found the endzone once.

And that’s the bottom line. They didn’t break down and give up multiple scores to opposing running backs.

The unit has also totaled nine sacks, including two and a half from junior defensive end Junior Galette, to lead a very respectable performance out of the front four.
Grade: B+

Linebackers
After badly losing the battle over the middle of the field to Connecticut, Buffalo and Penn State, this group responded with improved efforts against Western Michigan and Miami (Ohio).

They are tackling better and covering tight ends and running backs better, though those problems still reared their ugly heads last Saturday.

Paced by junior John Haley’s 39 tackles, and having key players return to the lineup after bouts with injuries, there is hope that things will turn around in the final six games of the season.
Grade: C

Secondary
The only negative mark on this group was the game against Buffalo, where it allowed Bulls’ senior quarterback Drew Willy to pass for 348 yards and three touchdowns, including the painful last-second Hail Mary completion to junior wide receiver Naaman Roosevelt where neither redshirt junior Dominique Harris nor sophomores Jamal Schulters and Jaiquawn Jarrett could box him out and knock the ball down.
Other than that, this group, along with the rest of the defense, has been very solid.

Led by Jarrett’s 46 tackles and the defensive unit’s six interceptions, it has been one of the more underrated aspects of Golden’s squad.
Grade: B

Special Teams
The only knock has been the field goal kicking of redshirt junior Jake Brownell, who cost the team dearly with his two misses from inside 40-yards against Western Michigan.

For that, he was benched, and his replacement, senior Anthony Perlozzo, also missed his lone field goal attempt last Saturday. This could definitely be come a reoccurring problem.

But, on the bright side, the punting of sophomore Jeff Wathne has been improving by the week, as he continues to boom and angle kicks and truly help out the team in the battle for field position.
Shelton’s kick returning, among the best in the country, has also been a major plus, as he is averaging over 30-yards per return. Though it was his return mate, Schulters, who was responsible for the Owls’ lone special teams’ touchdown with his kick return against Army.
Grade: B+

Coaching
Golden has been aggressive at times and conservative at others. It generally depends on the weather and the quarterback.

He’s also seen a number of little things people take for granted (penalties, catching the ball, batting down a Hail Mary attempt, throwing accuracy) simply not be there for his squad at all times.
That’s not something that entirely falls on his shoulders, as the players simply have to be able to do those things, but he is the undisputed face of this program, and he’s going to get the blame when things don’t go well.
Grade: C

Intangibles
There is no doubt the win over Miami (Ohio) saved the Owls’ season.
A loss, and they are 0-3 in Mid-American Conference play, essentially out of any kind of race for the MAC Championship game or a Bowl bid.
But that win gives them a possible route to six wins: taking their three remaining home games and one of the three road contests.
So, somehow, there might be some light at the end of the tunnel.
Grade: There is life…for now.

Todd Orodenker can be reached at todd.orodenker@temple.edu.

Playoff push begins for fall squads

Expectations were high to start the season. Now, halfway through the fall schedule, reality has set in.
So, does that mean it’s time for an imminent playoff push or an extended winter break for your favorite teams? Let’s take a look:

Cross Country
The cross-country program continues to get its footing in the A-10. Urban cross country programs have historically had a difficult time finding success, but the Owls look to change that. The men’s team has made strides, finishing a program-best 11th in the A-10 Championship last year. The women’s team finished 13th, but looks to build on that foundation in 2008.
Prediction: Everyone gets to run in the A-10 Championship, but the Owls will remain toward the back for quite some time.

Field Hockey
It’s been a turbulent season for coach Amanda Janney. Early on, it was all too perfect, as the Owls went 3-0 and knocked off No. 14 Boston University. Since then, it has been a series of beatings from some of the country’s best. Ohio State and No. 11 Penn State posted back-to-back shutouts, and rivals Drexel and Delaware stole two games at Geasey Field. On Sunday, No. 8 Michigan State thumped Temple 9-0. It appears that the Owls’ non-conference schedule was overly ambitious. The good news is that A-10 play begins this week. Last year, the team went 6-1 in conference. Do the Owls have the firepower to get past No. 17 Massachusetts? Four years of playoff debauchery may continue.
Prediction: Another playoff bust: A-10 semifinals loss.

Men’s Soccer
It’s like The Little Engine That Could. The men’s soccer team continues to scrap and claw its way into the win column. Finally, there is some progress after two painful seasons at the Ambler Sports Complex. In 2006 and 2007, the team amounted to an overall record of 7-25-3 and plenty of frustration. The Cherry and White are currently 4-3-2 and about to embark on their A-10 schedule. Fortunately, heavyweights Saint Louis and Charlotte are off that schedule. The Owls have five straight home games to close the season, so the postseason isn’t out of consideration. In 2004, the team made it to the A-10 finals, but ultimately lost to George Washington.
Prediction: Only six teams get to dance, and 14 are jockeying for position. Another year of growth and this squad gets in.

Women’s Soccer
Much like its male counterparts, the women’s soccer team is kicking it up a notch. The Owls (2-6-3) look to improve upon their 5-10-4 season of a year ago, and it starts with their young guns. Freshman goalkeeper Courtney Douglas has assumed duties from sophomore Kara Williams. In her two starts, the Owls earned two ties, including a 0-0 shutout against Massachusetts. Freshman Niki Conn has been able to spark a notoriously anemic offense with four goals through 11 games. Playoffs might be too much for this squad right now. A step in the right direction would be a handful of conference wins on the road. Last season, the Owls went 0-5-1 in that department.
Prediction: No go on the postseason, but improved record from 2007.

Women’s Volleyball
Coach Bob Bertucci has done a remarkable job with this squad. The team is comprised mostly of underclassmen, but you wouldn’t know it. With an 11-7 record, they are a legitimate threat in the postseason. So far, they have dominated the Atlantic Ten Conference, posting a 4-1 record. Finding a replacement for outside hitter Yue Liu hasn’t been a problem, as junior Yun Yi Zhang has more than adequately fit the role. Zhang leads the conference in kills with 261 and total points with 291.5. If the Owls want the respect they deserve, they’ll need to cut down the conference’s traditional powerhouses. The West Division has a stranglehold on the crown, with Saint Louis winning in 2006 and Dayton from 2003-2005 and in 2007.
Prediction: The beasts of the east, but runners-up to the rest. Owls fall in a late-round game in the A-10 Championship.

Summary
Some Owls will get to taste the postseason, while others are far from it. Hey, there’s always next year.

Anthony Stipa can be reached at anthonystipa@temple.edu.

Student Center forgoes SAC

The “SAC” has been sacked years ago. The Student Center reigns supreme.

Oct. 1 marked the Office of Student Center Operations’ second birthday. It was an event to raise awareness of its purpose. With two large sheet cakes, hundreds of flyers and 2,000 giveaways, staff members from the Student Center Operations made it apparent who they are and what they do.

They also emphasized the fact that the “SAC” has been inexistent for more than four years and that they are separate from Student Activities, which the Student Center is commonly mistaken for.

“We get calls for Student Activities and Student Activities gets calls for us,” said Jason Levy, director of Student Center Operations.

Originally, Student Activities was in charge of programming and the facility, but when the Student Center expanded to the south side of the building more responsibilities arised. The previous director of Student Activities left, opening the door for Dean of Students Ainsley Carry and Dr. Theresa A. Powell, vice president for Student Affairs, to create the Office of Student Center Operations.

“Student Center and Student Activities have a great working partnership, and we depend on each other,” Levy said. “We have very different, yet equally important missions and desired outcomes.”
The Student Center accommodates registered student organizations and faculty departments, when they meet to host activities and events.

“We depend on organizations and departments to not be bored,” Levy said.

The Student Center Operations receives nearly 6,000 reservations request for its spaces on campus. One of the most recent events that took place under the leadership of the Student Center Operations staff was the rally for Sen. Barack Obama that featured Democratic National Committee Chairman Gov. Howard Dean.

The office responsibilities also included preparing its rooms with well-equipped audio and visual resources, lighting and furniture. Also they grant permission for voter registrations drives on Liacouras Walk and the Bell Tower.

Aside from hosting events and meetings, the staff also provides leisure and technological facilities such as the game room, the Reel cinema and the Graphics Media Center.

“We want people to have memories of the Student Center when they come back and visit,” Levy said.
To further improve facilities, the Howard Gittis Student Center will be renovated. Changes include improving signs, upgrading the audio and visual equipment in meeting rooms and adding a 50-inch plasma TV in the atrium.

There will also be a new addition to the second floor called the “Laptop Lounge.” By the end of October, the room will be equipped with wireless connection, comfortable furniture and tables with built-in electrical outlets.

Although the Student Center has such a prominent role on campus, it still struggles with its identity. The Student Center Operations staff plans to develop a mission statement for the Student Center by the end of the Fall 2008 semester.

Arty Kern can be reached at arthur.kern@temple.edu.

Gossip on campus gets juicy

Unlike Facebook and MySpace, Juicy Campus takes sharing personal information to a whole new level and sees privacy as an afterthought.

Last month, Temple was added to JuicyCampus.com, a gossip site that has pages for nearly 500 campuses nationwide.

Juicy Campus serves as an open forum for users to anonymously post uncensored gossip about their campuses, and anything or anyone is fair game. Posters do not need to register or log in to start a thread on the Web site.

Common discussion topics include fraternity parties, the sizes and shapes of sorority sisters and sexually transmitted diseases. Posts can then be tagged with key words or phrases like Greek, cheap food or drugs.

Sean Brondi, a junior risk management and insurance major, said he was disappointed by what he saw on Juicy Campus.

“It seems like a place for people to pathetically try and embarrass their ex-boyfriend or girlfriend,” Brondi said.

Since its creation, Temple’s page on Juicy Campus has received more than 250 different posts across a message board, with several posts gathering thousands of views each. The popular topic is about sororities and fraternities. Posts for this topic have 1,500 views.

Not everyone is stricken with Juicy Campus fever on campus.

Senior speech pathology major Amy Lee has no interest in the site.

“I refuse to look at Juicy Campus. I have enough drama in my life,” Lee said. “I don’t need to read about other people’s.”

Posts with useful information or with a sense of humor can be found few and far-between. A post titled “Speaking of Juicy Gossip” asks about the soon-to-be grocery store opening in Progress Plaza. Another post sheds light on students who are annoyed when they discover someone sitting in their seats in class, even though they always sit in that same seat.

Juicy Campus’ mastermind Matt Ivester is a 2005 graduate of Duke University and former president of his fraternity. He founded the site in August 2007.

The site is widely received among college students and the news media. CNN held an interview with a college freshman who was criticized on Juicy Campus in April. The interviewee said the rumors ruined her freshman year and affected her physical appearance because she lost weight and could not sleep.

Some posts on Juicy Campus make controversial accusations about date rape drugs, promiscuity and racism. Examples of posts’ titles are “Easiest Freshman,” “Fat People Working at Starbucks” and “Handicapped.” When authors choose to remain anonymous, it’s difficult to find who is to blame, but it’s not impossible.

Publicly lying and humiliating someone is not tolerated by Juicy Campus. Those harassed by allegations on the site can lawfully subpoena the site’s owners. They must prove that the posts are untrue and show how their reputations were damaged by libelous material.

The site features a text box that allows users to enter gossip without having to log in or verify an e-mail address.

A disclaimer is listed on the privacy and tracking page of the site. It informs users that Juicy Campus reserves the right to disclose personal identifiable information if necessary to protect its rights or comply with court proceedings.

Brondi encourages those who post to the site to be aware of the damage libel can cause.
“If you don’t have anything nice to say,” Brondi said, “don’t say anything at all.”

Michelle Provencher can be reached at michelle.provencher@temple.edu.

Students turn to professors for advice

As the current financial crisis wreaks havoc on the stock market, students in the Fox School of Business are left with a sense of insecurity about life after graduation.

Major financial corporations, such as Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch, are both merging with other companies to avoid bankruptcy and permanent closure.

“I’ve read that a lot of finance majors are looking into other majors like law,” said Manu Phatak, a junior finance and management information systems major. “I’ve already got my foot in the door with JP Morgan, but had I not been doing my research, I’d be looking for another major.

“A lot of people say that when things are going down it opens opportunities for great leaders, but I’m not going to be a leader my first year out of college,” Phatak said.

Senior real estate and finance major Deena Robinson has already made plans for life after graduation.

“After graduation, I have a job lined up with Citizens Bank, but I’m afraid what will happen in the long term if I decide not to take the job,” Robinson said. “Then again, the job is with a bank.”

Phatak said students should network with professionals in the business industry when searching for employment.

“It’s more important now than ever to build a huge network,” Phatak said. “Graduating has never been a sure-fire way of getting a job, and firms are going to be much more selective.”

Professors in the Fox School of Business recognize students’ fears of finding employment, and they are taking extra steps to educate undergraduates on the current state of the economy. Dr. Jonathan Scott is one of the many professors who is teaching his students to make informed decisions when planning their future endeavors. 

“I remember that fear,” the associate professor of finance said. “I think that students have to be willing to think more broadly about what they’re willing to do. That includes considering working for some nonprofit that may be looking for help and it may be doing some unpaid internship until things turn around.

“For those students who had aspirations to work on Wall Street and be in investment banking, the job offerings are going to be much fewer than in years past,” Scott said.

“You never think that this could happen, but it’s a good thing for us to see right now so we can see how it affects everyone when we get out into the real world,” Robinson said.

Jordan Salmeron understands the potential obstacles he might encounter while looking for a career in the financial industry. Salmeron has even begun networking with financial corporate executives.

“Personally I’m not worried about finding a job,” Salmeron said. “The jobs are there. I have to better myself. I can’t sit back and go to class and expect someone to find me. That’s not how it works.”

He said he is leaning toward an accounting firm because of the stability of the profession.

“All accounting firms do have a financial sector in them, so I plan to keep it within accounting until the economy itself is more stable,” Salmeron said.

As the economy struggles with a recession, Scott said companies are not hiring at the same rates that they have in the past.

“What I really think students need to do is to stay informed on what’s going on in the world and what that means is that either online or in print, students need to be reading the Financial Times and The Economist because they’re global oriented,” Scott said. “You need to know what’s going on in the world in terms of politics, business and finance.”

Sudipta Basu, an associate professor of accounting, said there will be more careers in accounting and fewer in finance.

“Business students should expect that the job search will take a bit longer than in the past, but not to give up because as far as we can tell only the financial sector has been affected,” Basu said.

Scott said although he doesn’t do “anything specific” as to how students should alter their career search strategies, they have to understand what caused the current economic crisis.

“I’m spending a lot of time trying to help them understand the underlying causes of this problem and why it’s going to take a pretty long time for this problem to resolve itself,” Scott said.

Janis Moore Campbell, associate director for the Center for Student Professional Development at the Fox School of Business, said it is normal for students to be concerned about what is going on.

“It’s discomforting to see companies that have been around for 20 to 50 years fail,” Campbell said.

“Many students will find job opportunities where they never imagined,” Campbell said. “No good things have come from the status quo, so although some jobs cease to exist, other jobs will be created.”
Some professors are doing their best to alleviate the fears of business majors, but students are not noticing any changes in teaching strategies.

Segrid Barr, a junior human resource management major, said professional student organizations are preparing undergraduates who plan to work in the financial market.

“A lot of my classes are talking about being prepared by educating you, but the student professional organizations are the ones that are really preparing you by reviewing resumes and introducing you to networking programs.”

“I don’t see any of my other professors bringing the real world into the classroom, which I feel is a complete mistake,” Salmeron said.

“If you don’t bring the real world into the classroom, we will not be able to broaden our horizons and protect ourselves from any possible disasters that could come our way.”

Kelly R. Fields can be reached at kellyfields@temple.edu.

Pounding the pavement

If Jess Conda is right about the Internet being the new TV, then she’s a nouveau television star.
Mostly known for her theater work in Philadelphia, including the 24-hour The Bald Soprano, she is now one of the personalities hosting on-the-scene interviews for streettalkin.com.

The Web site, which is less than a year old, is starting to gain notoriety with the help of partners uwishunu.com and phillyfunguide.com. In May, the reporters began featuring man-on-the-street interviews for the Web site’s alpha show Philly 55. Its name refers to the 55 hours between 5 p.m. on Friday evening and midnight on Sunday, which ostensibly count as the weekend.

Along with Philly 55, the Web site hosts a wide variety of other shows that provide insight into the minds of Philadelphians. Street Trash is a show where reporters ask locals about current political issues. Past questions have included “Is Sarah Palin a good vice presidential choice for McCain?” and “Ellen got married in Los Angeles. Should Pennsylvania allow gay marriages?”

On a less political note, streettalkin.com host David “Scoops” Dyer tags along with club-hopping weekend warriors in Take Me to My Fav Nightspot. Other shows include Phasionisto for the clothes horse, DIY City for the crafty types and Philadelphia Sightseeing for the transplants who want to break into Philly culture.

The Web site is a “one-stop shop,” Dyer said.

“Of everything that’s happening in Philly,” added Gloria Esposito, who is Conda’s aunt.

Esposito began the Web site as a way to unite her “affinity for the Internet” with her pre-existing experience in television production.

“I love editing this because I have fallen in love with Philadelphia by working on this project. The heart and soul of Philadelphia is so big. There are just so many real people here,” Esposito said.

It is for this reason that Esposito and her merry band of reporters have decided to take the Web site a step further.

Viewers will soon have the capability to interact with the Web site. Instead of solely consuming content, fans of streettalkin.com will be able to post their own videos, blog about their favorite bars, restaurants and social hubs in Philadelphia and use the Web site for social networking.

“It’s going to have that whole social community aspect,” Esposito said. “We’re looking for people to join in.”

In fact, the crew at streettalkin.com hopes to create an entire show based on college life and looks forward to conducting interviews on Temple’s campus. They are searching for the next big, college-aged Internet star. The loose plan for now is to feature dorm tours, collect interviews about college life and create a few Philly 55 episodes for students.

“But we are willing to take ideas for a new show for college kids,” Esposito said.

The consensus among the group is that print isn’t so much out, as the culture is (and has been) changing. There is a need for a faster-paced media. The desire for a more face-to-face approach to news is becoming apparent and also practical.

“I’m visual. I like to read, but I also like to see what is actually out there,” Dyer said.

“I like to actually see what I am getting into before I go and invest time in it, and these videos are taking it to a whole new level.”

Courtney Davison can be reached at courtney.davison@temple.edu.

Transfer troubles: Campus orientation not worthwhile for most

Temple accepted nearly 7,000 undergraduate students this year, according to the admissions office. Approximately 40 percent of them were transfer students.

So this summer, Temple introduced its first-ever Transfer On-Campus Day, which was the first time an on-campus orientation was held specifically for students who were transferring into Temple.

Before 2006, transfer students had no orientation in place. Students transferring into Temple would come in for an adviser meeting but had no other introduction to the university. In 2006, Temple began an online orientation for transfer students.

The orientation was the first aimed toward transfer students alone, and it provided information regarding campus security, Diamond Dollars and academics.

It was only this summer, in preparation for the Fall 2008 semester, that Temple began offering on-campus orientations for transfer students.

“They missed getting to know campus, getting to meet students,” said Amy Hecht, the associate dean of students. “We wanted to address that. Transfer students have different needs than freshmen.”

The orientation was held three times during the summer: June 26, July 18 and Aug. 22. Running from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the day included a presentation on campus safety, a question-and-answer session with current students, free lunch and a chance to socialize with other incoming students.

However, only 8.2 percent of the incoming transfer class attended any of the three Transfer On-Campus Days. Some students were not aware that the orientations existed, but most students that did know about it found out indirectly.

“I went onto Temple’s transfer Web site because I took the online orientation, and I saw this thing about an optional on-campus day,” said Andrew Agren, an undeclared sophomore. “I only found out about it through the Web site. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known.”

Not all students who were aware of the event chose to attend.

“It felt redundant,” said Sarah Weidner, a junior pre-pharmacy major. “I mean, I did the tour before I got accepted to Temple. It seemed kind of like a waste of travel time and money to come to a tour that I had already taken.”

In contrast, freshman students have two options for their on-campus orientation. The local orientation is a two-day overnight visit, while the out-of-town orientation is a four-day overnight. While the freshman orientations include course registration, the Transfer On-Campus Day does not, meaning transfer students must make a separate trip to campus in order meet with an adviser.

Not only did many students find that the event was too short, but some were surprised to find many other transfers didn’t take advantage of the days.

“We got this note saying we should get there early because they were expecting 50 people, and I got there and there were 12 people,” Agren said. “I already knew the campus. I went there to meet people, but I only met one person out of 12. Basically, if people had no idea about Temple or campus, it would be helpful, but I already knew that stuff. I wanted to meet people.”

The Office of Orientation has not yet begun work on next year’s Transfer On-Campus Day, but Hecht said her office will continue to lend a helping hand.

“We’re still going to try to reach out to students,” Hecht said. “That’s really what it’s about.”

Emily Barrale can be reached at emily.barrale@temple.edu.

Talking Futures

Congress approved to spend at least $700 billion in a bailout to aid certain financial institutions last week.

That money comes from the taxpayers. People like you, your parents and your friends are literally paying for the mistakes of others.

The unemployment rate is increasing as the stock market begins to stumble. America is facing hard times from Wall Street to Main Street and every street in between. People who once had job security are desperately trying to find ways to get by.

But one group is often overshadowed by the others in this economic crisis – the Class of 2009.

As The Temple News reports this week, many students about to graduate – particularly those in the business school – are worried about their futures in the business world before they’ve even entered it [“Stock market scares,” Kelly R. Fields, Oct. 7, 2008].

The financial crisis now has students second-guessing their choices of major and forces them to consider other options this late in their college careers.

It is the responsibility of professors to teach the practical skills it takes to succeed in their respective fields. With today’s economy, those skills might not be enough to compete in the job market. In our generation, we’ve never seen an economic situation quite like this.

It is important for professors in all Temple’s schools and colleges to discuss the financial crisis with students. It’s the duty of a place of higher education to prepare students for their post-graduation lives.

Our post-graduation lives today are not exactly what they could have been 10 years ago.
It’s a scary time for graduating seniors as May 14 approaches. But professors should not avoid the subject of a poor economy altogether.

Granted, professors may not have had experiences like that which we may soon experience as the job hunt begins. But they are available to offer advice and counsel to their students in terms of what employers are looking for and what makes an applicant more qualified in a competitive job market.

In a time like this, professors should openly address the financial issue with students and not pretend as if everything will be OK. For at least a few months, everything likely won’t be.

By May 14, we’re expected to walk off the graduation stage complete with the knowledge and experience needed to enter the so-called “real world.”

That might not be enough. And while we don’t expect Ben Bernanke to give a guest lecture providing comforting words, at least discuss the truths you know so students have a fighting chance.

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