Myers balances new life

Like Clark Kent and Superman, Bruce Wayne and Batman, Robert Bruce Banner and the Incredible Hulk, Robert Myers is trying to learn how to balance two identities.

Myers, who was selected by Gov. Tom Ridge to be the next student member of the University Board of Trustees, often finds himself switching between the more serious role of being a trustee and the more laid-back personality he has in his fraternity, Sigma Pi, 303 Fraternity Row.

"To them, I'm their brother first (and) a (future) member of the Board of Trustees second," he said. "I hope to balance the two roles."

The University Board of Trustees is a 32-person governing board that oversees the University's overall mission and direction. The board does not manage the day-to-day affairs of the University.

"I don't know because I've never been in this role before," he said. "I don't really know anyone well enough that's had to (balance) . . . I'll bet I'm a lot more fun when I'm not in the trustee role."

He will have more than two years to adjust to the role that he views as his chance to be active and make a difference at the University.

"I think I realized at some point during my freshman year I wanted to make a difference," he said.

As a liaison between the students and the administration in his student trustee role, he can start to make that difference on a broad scale. Although he has only seen a trustees meeting as a spectator, Myers said he likes the big-picture viewpoint the meetings offer.

"At the board meeting, there is the sum of everything coming together," he said. "You get to see where everything is going."

- Robert Myers, designated student trustee

"I was really unsure of what I wanted to be, what I wanted to become," he said. "I don't think I could have been a trustee a year and a half ago."

A year-and-a-half ago he left his close-knit family in Lansdale to come to the University. Because his mother is a loyal alumna of the University, Myers has been going to football games since he was a child.

When it came time to look at colleges during his senior year, Myers said he considered other schools but found himself constantly comparing them to Penn State.

While he misses his family and wishes he could visit them more often, Myers said he loves Penn State and his newfound place in it.

"I'm excited. I don't think I stopped being excited since I found out," he said.