Last night, engineer and speaker Mark Lamontia spoke to a crowd of about 300 students on the topics of Darwinism and intelligent design in Pasquerilla Spiritual Center.

Hosted by the Penn State Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU), the lecture examined both schools of thought and concluded that both were true.

Lamontia said that even though these topics are controversial, it is important for students to gain their own perspective.

"I've been speaking at universities on the East Coast for years now," he said. "It is a way to reach a lot of people about what the truth is of evolution and intelligent design. There is a controversy in this country about this subject."

Lamontia left religion out of his lecture, proving points by showing political cartoons, short films and quotations from scientists and professors. He also provided common definitions and explained why they were true or false.

"I'm much more interested in talking about truth -- what really happened -- than science," he said.

Campus CRU Director Tim Henderson said the debate was informative.

"I think there are a lot of interesting arguments," he said. We hope students can make an informed decision. A university is such a great marketplace for ideas."

CRU staff member Andy Allan said the club hosted the lecture to present differing arguments.

"We wanted to give people an opportunity to hear factual reasons behind intelligent design," Allan said. "[Students] will get to experience an objective viewpoint. They will get fact without being swayed one way or another." Like most students who attended the event, Jordan Floyd (junior-human development family services) said Lamontia presented a convincing argument. "I think it was really interesting," said Floyd. "He brought up a lot of good points, and I liked the examples he gave."