Celebrating the "Safest Night on Campus" was a combined university and community-wide effort on the HUB lawn Thursday night when the University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) held its first ever "Campus Night Out" event.
Many student organizations were in attendance, including the Council of Commonwealth Student Governments (CCSG) and more than 100 members of the Interfraternity Council.
State College local DJ Rictor provided entertainment early in the event and was followed by student bands and spoken word performances. The State College Police Department put on fire safety demonstrations, and the Nittany Lion and UHS "Flu Bug" greeted students.
Vice President for Student Affairs Damon Sims addressed the crowd and said it was important the Penn State community and the borough of State College come together "as one" to find solutions to end violence on and off campus. No issue impacts campus safety more than the dangerous usage of alcohol, Sims said. Everyone needs to be accountable for his or her actions, he said.
"Penn State, after all, is a family," Sims said. "We have to take responsibility for ourselves as well as others."
Student Life and Diversity Chairman Christian Ragland worked with other members of UPUA to construct the new event and said he was glad to see its success.
"It was a first good start," he said. "We showed that we have the ability to come together as one -- and we did that in a week."
Ragland (junior-political science) introduced State College Borough Council President Elizabeth Goreham and Borough Manager Tom Fountaine to the crowd. Fountaine said the tragedy of Joseph Dado "showed how fragile we all are when it comes to personal safety issues."
He added it is imperative students understand the impact they can have on themselves and others.
Ragland (junior-political science) said he was happy to see "all aspects of student life" at the event -- it even extended into the athletic department.
Andrew Ott, an at-large representative for UPUA and member of the Penn State basketball team, and teammate Talor Battle thanked the crowd for coming out to support such an important initiative.
Student body president Gavin Keirans said the event was a major step forward in addressing the "really profound" issues that affect campus.
"Our efforts alone show the commitment we do have," Keirans (senior-business management) said.
