A Rant: In the Defense of My Alma Mater
I've been kind of avoiding LJ for a while now because I knew that I was going to write this. I just didn't want to do it but know that I really should. It needs to be said. And I'm typing this with tears running down my face.
I graduated from Penn State. I grew up about an hour away from State College/Happy Valley/Penn State. We truly do bleed blue and white here. I got an excellent education - where I could commute to even! My professors were top notch and some of the most caring and supportive people I have ever met. When I got into my career, the education that I received made it a perfect fit. Yeah, I may bitch about the tuition but I paid it all myself without loans or help from my family. I got some great scholarships from Penn State because of my academics. I was proud to go there because of the quality education I was receiving. My family was proud to tell people that the first person in the family to get a degree went to Penn State (with scholarships!) My brother in the army bragged about it to the guys he was stationed with. Every time we visited, they would make sure that when we went to the sports bars that they frequented, that the PSU football games were on.
Living so close to State College growing up also made us intimately aware of the Second Mile. We fund raised for it every year at school. It was supposed to be helping kids in the community. Hell, I'm pretty sure I knew some of the kids involved in the program. My heart breaks for them. I feel personally betrayed by Sandusky for the shit that he did to those kids, their families, and our community. We thought we were helping disadvantaged kids instead of providing him with jail bait.
I don't know who knew or didn't know or who covered things up. I'm not a huge football fan. I only ever went to one PSU game in my life - and it was to watch the Blue Band. Do I think the administration needs punished? Hell Yes. Do I think they are doing it correctly? Hell no. I'm not going to get into what I think should happen. It's all that is talked about around here and I'm tired of it.
I just want the current staff and students to remember the pride we once had in the education. We Are Penn State! Not the administration, not the football staff, not the Second Mile. We the students, alumni, and professors are Penn State. We got our education there and it changed our lives. We are now able to change other people's lives. Because of my degree that I got there, I work as a children's social worker. I work every day with victims of sexual abuse much like the others that I graduated with, that went before me, and are going through the program now.
I still take pride in my education. It helped mold me into the person I am today. Just because we went to Penn State does not negate the fact that we are good people as a whole. A handful of rotten eggs does not ruin an entire institution. Everyone needs to remember that those individuals who hurt those children or covered it up are not representative of the institution in its entirety. Yes, the football program is the most widely known. But the school is primarily a school not a football team. I have cried for the victims. I want to do anything to help them and support them. I am glad that they got to bring Sandusky to justice. I am just very sad about the media portrayal of the school and community as a whole. I'm weary of the snide jokes and quips on twitter. There is nothing funny about this. We are a broken community. Leave us alone to pick up the pieces or offer to help. Don't stand there, feeling all superior and point and laugh.
Remember - no matter what WE, the students, faculty, and alumni, are Penn State. We are good people. We are a community that supports each other. That supports our communities where we live. Penn State made a difference in us so that we could make a difference in the world.
WE ARE PENN STATE!
I graduated from Penn State. I grew up about an hour away from State College/Happy Valley/Penn State. We truly do bleed blue and white here. I got an excellent education - where I could commute to even! My professors were top notch and some of the most caring and supportive people I have ever met. When I got into my career, the education that I received made it a perfect fit. Yeah, I may bitch about the tuition but I paid it all myself without loans or help from my family. I got some great scholarships from Penn State because of my academics. I was proud to go there because of the quality education I was receiving. My family was proud to tell people that the first person in the family to get a degree went to Penn State (with scholarships!) My brother in the army bragged about it to the guys he was stationed with. Every time we visited, they would make sure that when we went to the sports bars that they frequented, that the PSU football games were on.
Living so close to State College growing up also made us intimately aware of the Second Mile. We fund raised for it every year at school. It was supposed to be helping kids in the community. Hell, I'm pretty sure I knew some of the kids involved in the program. My heart breaks for them. I feel personally betrayed by Sandusky for the shit that he did to those kids, their families, and our community. We thought we were helping disadvantaged kids instead of providing him with jail bait.
I don't know who knew or didn't know or who covered things up. I'm not a huge football fan. I only ever went to one PSU game in my life - and it was to watch the Blue Band. Do I think the administration needs punished? Hell Yes. Do I think they are doing it correctly? Hell no. I'm not going to get into what I think should happen. It's all that is talked about around here and I'm tired of it.
I just want the current staff and students to remember the pride we once had in the education. We Are Penn State! Not the administration, not the football staff, not the Second Mile. We the students, alumni, and professors are Penn State. We got our education there and it changed our lives. We are now able to change other people's lives. Because of my degree that I got there, I work as a children's social worker. I work every day with victims of sexual abuse much like the others that I graduated with, that went before me, and are going through the program now.
I still take pride in my education. It helped mold me into the person I am today. Just because we went to Penn State does not negate the fact that we are good people as a whole. A handful of rotten eggs does not ruin an entire institution. Everyone needs to remember that those individuals who hurt those children or covered it up are not representative of the institution in its entirety. Yes, the football program is the most widely known. But the school is primarily a school not a football team. I have cried for the victims. I want to do anything to help them and support them. I am glad that they got to bring Sandusky to justice. I am just very sad about the media portrayal of the school and community as a whole. I'm weary of the snide jokes and quips on twitter. There is nothing funny about this. We are a broken community. Leave us alone to pick up the pieces or offer to help. Don't stand there, feeling all superior and point and laugh.
Remember - no matter what WE, the students, faculty, and alumni, are Penn State. We are good people. We are a community that supports each other. That supports our communities where we live. Penn State made a difference in us so that we could make a difference in the world.
WE ARE PENN STATE!