Nobody ever did that in Brooklyn, N.Y., where Medina grew up. My father thought the students here were up to something.
Happy Valley is much friendlier than New York.
That's where the S-Plan comes in, by providing student leaders who organize weekly activities for the six to 10 students in their charge. The leaders develop relationships with their group by teaching them how to make the most of their years at University Park. Typical topics include time management, effective study techniques, interactions with professors, campus organizations and the best places in town for haircuts and other services. Nathan Thomas, a community health educator and S-Plan adviser, believes there is a great need to support African American and Latino students at Penn State. Those who have grown up in more diverse areas feel isolated when they suddenly become the only African American or Latino student in the classroom or residence hall, Thomas said.