Instead of celebrating their graduations in packed arenas and stadiums all across the country, seniors are creating ceremonies in their own homes. In this episode, we talk to Paige Fean, my mom, who’s trying her best to make college graduation still feel special. With her daughter graduating from Penn State in a couple weeks, she’s trying to stay positive, but also recognizes that this is a hard time for seniors.

Bio: My name is Lexi Fean and I am a senior print/ digital journalism major. I’ve had internships with Penn State University and the Federal Taphouse, where I’ve worked on social media and marketing, and I’m excited to move to Orlando, FL after graduation to work for the Walt Disney Company.

Credits:Photo-Lexi Fean

Music-Upbeat Party by Scott Holmes

Sound effects-Bird Chirping

Sound Effect from Alexander for Creative Commons

Interviewees-Paige Fean, Sophia Vario

As many people know, college students all over the country are being forced to complete their courses online due to COVID-19 in order to prevent other students and teachers frompotentially getting the virus. On this week’s episode of Covering Covid, host Ryan Liney talks to Holy Family University nursing student, Lauren Chambers about how the virus has affected her academics and how she has been adapting to it.

Bio: Ryan Liney is a senior at Penn State majoring in broadcast journalism and minoring in English. He is from Chalfont, PA and plans on pursuing a career in sports journalism possibly in Philadelphia.

Photo credits: Ryan Liney

Music: Upbeat Party by Scott Holmes

SpecialGuest: Lauren Chambers

Covid-19 has significantly changed the way we as neighbors interact with each other. There are so many different ways people are reacting to this pandemic. Some, like Michele Rash, are trying to give back, and help people who need it by starting a Facebook group for her community. Others, are taking advantage of people who offering up supplies. Hear from Michele Rash on how she took on a page with over 1700 members, and how she’s dealing with people who may be scamming people on the page.

Bio:

My name is Ava Rash and I am from Pittsburgh, PA. I am a senior broadcast journalism major currently focusing on sports reporting.

Theme Music:

Late Night Drive By Nat Keefe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr1hW0rMwhUGBPne6FYdyIQ

The sudden coronavirus spread has caused the majority of individuals to start working from home indefinitely. Working from home is a concept that many are not used to, and don’t enjoy. Humans like to associate their place of work and place of relaxation as two completely different spaces. This shift from the norm has combined these two spaces into one. In this episode I speak with Amanda Klag, project manager at Decide & Conquer. Amanda has been working from home before the coronavirus pandemic began and shares her tips to be successful and productive while working from a space that most of us often associate with relaxation.

Bio:

My name is Nicole Gresen and I’m from Long Island, New York. I am a senior majoring in Public Relations with a passion for social media and content creation.

Credits:

Photo: Nicole Gresen

Music: Upbeat Party by Scott Holmes

Interviewee: Amanda Klag

Description:

Covid-19 has halted the sports world indefinitely. There is no way of knowing when sports will resume. Nationally we see this as the MLB, NFL, NBA, and other respective major league sports, but at the local levels high school athletes across the world have followed suit in stopping sports. For Plymouth Whitemarsh High School they were in the middle of their spring training trip when the coronavirus made its way to the U.S. and their unimaginable experience set in a new reality for the team. Hear from the Head Coach of the team, Chris Manero, and how he and his team handled the situation.

Bio:

My name is Spencer Krawitz and I am from Philadelphia, PA. I am a senior broadcast journalism major with a minor in political science with aspirations of attending law school. My dream is to work in sports either as an agent or in a front office somewhere.

Music:

Upbeat Party by Scott Holmes

COVID-19 has shut down the doors of businesses across the country. With business not being able to operate as normal, businesses have had to find creative ways to keep a stream of income so their doors can open again once society can go back to business as usual. I had the chance to speak with Tara Giorgio, the owner of The Brow Bar in West Chester, PA about how the COVID-19 shutdowns have impacted her and what she is doing to take care of her employees and clients in this time of uncertainty.

Bio:

My name is Jillian Shur and I am from West Chester, PA. I am a senior majoring in Broadcast Journalism who has a passion for all things beauty related.

Credits:

Photo: Tara Giorgio

Music: Upbeat Party

Interviewee: Tara Giorgio

During the Covid-19 pandemic, essential workers are doing all they can to help the world and its people. In the United States, while the doctors, nurses, and grocery store workers are getting much deserved credit, some essential workers are flying under the radar. Truck drivers are some of those workers. In this episode, I talk to truck driver Marvin Smith and his son Richard Smith, the treasurer of their family company Gravytrain Express LLC (GTE), about how they are staying safe and healthy while dealing with people all across the country.

I am a senior studying broadcast journalism and minoring in history and business. I am an equipment manager for the Penn State football team. I am in the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism Certificate program.

Credits:

Music –

Upbeat Party by Scott Holmes

https://freemusicarchive.org/search?adv=1&quicksearch=upbeat%20party&&

Photo –

Picture taken by Richard Smith of GTE

Interviewees –

Marvin E. Smith

Richard L. Smith

Special thanks to Gravytrain Express LLC for the use of their equipment for sound effects

Death has been a large part of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. But during the seemingly endless news updates, we don’t often hear about what happens after. For Meghan Klinger, a funeral director and embalmer at the Mark D. Heintzelman funeral home, death is a part of everyday life. It’s typical for her to attend multiple funerals a week, but now with coronavirus limiting the number of attendings, the funeral industry has been forced to make changes to their routines.

Bio:

Caitlin Lee is a senior photojournalism major. She has worked as a photographer and photo editor at the Daily Collegian during her four years at Penn State. She has also worked as a visuals intern at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and participated in the student newsroom at the 2019 Online News Association conference in New Orleans.

Credits:

Photo by Caitlin Lee.

Theme music is Upbeat Party by Scott Holmes on Free Music Archive https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes/Inspiring__Upbeat_Music/Scott_Holmes_-_Upbeat_Party

COVID-19 has affected thousands Olympic hopefuls and Mike Biddle is one of them. Mike has been preparing for the Olympic Trials in Track and Field for 4 years, when one day his future completely changed. With the Olympics postponed until July 2021, Mike now needs to shift his training in a new direction. Getting married in August and moving to Michigan, Mike still plans to stay focused and pursue his dream of representing the red, white and blue in Tokyo.

Bio:

My name is Jack Zimmerman and I am from Westchester, New York. I am a junior studying advertising and a member of the Men’s Track and Field team.

Credits:

Photo: Penn State Athletics

Music: Upbeat Party by Scott Holmes

Interviewee: Mike Biddle

Sound Effects from weight room and meets: Mike Biddle

The coronavirus pandemic that has struck the world has thrown medical professionals into the deep end and serve as our heroes. In this episode, I will be speaking with Penn State senior, Blake Price. She is a nursing major and has looked forward to jump starting her nursing career in a NYC hospital upon graduation in May 2020. Her first hand, internal thoughts regarding this global crisis and entering the medical field at this point in time. We will dive into what her future as a nurse may look like given the current situation and ultimately answer the question from a near nurse of, “how has this whole situation made you feel?”

Bio:

My name is Sydney Schwartz and I am from Long Island, New York. I am graduating Penn State in May 2020 with a degree in Public Relations and am attending law school upon graduation.

Credits:

Photo: Meaghan Rozanc

Music: Upbeat Party by Scott Holmes

Interviewee: Blake Price