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Penn State: From a humble beginning as an agricultural college, to a world-class university. The Penn State University is located in the city of State College, within Centre County, Pennsylvania. Although a smaller city, approximately 38,720 borough population (2007 census), and roughly double that total live in the borough and surrounding areas, and is a thriving community. The city was ranked as the second safest metropolitan area in the United States, by CQ Press (Congressional Quarterly).

On February 22, 1855, then Pennsylvania Governor James Pollock signed the charter that created what is today, The Pennsylvania State University. Initially a small college dedicated to the study of scientific agriculture, Penn State was designated the Commonwealth’s sole land-grant institution in 1863, and has grown to become one of the world’s most distinguished public universities.

Penn State ranks well among other colleges nationwide. According to a report by the U.S. News & World Report of America’s Best Colleges for 2010 (Undergraduate Programs): penn state
1.Best National Universities: Penn State ranks 47th.
2.Top 50 Public National Universities: Penn State ranks 15th.
3.Best Undergraduate Business Programs: Pen State ranks 21st.
4.Undergraduate Business Specialties, Supply Chain Management/Logistics: Penn State ranks 3rd.
5.Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs: Penn State tied for 17th nationally.
6.Undergraduate Engineering Specialties: Industrial/Manufacturing: Penn State ranks 4th.

But, Penn State University is not just about cracking the books and burning the midnight oil; Penn State is also about football. Each autumn, people living in “Happy Valley” say the roar of a mountain lion can be heard. The roar has been heard rumbling through the streets, over mountain passes, and throughout the rolling hills of the area. However, mountain lions are not uncommon in this area, and can be seen in the Nittany Mountains surrounding State College.

But, this particular lion is better known as “Joe Paterno.” Joe Paterno is the Head Coach of the Penn State football team. Coach Paterno is not a new-comer to the university, Pennsylvania, of football.

Joe Paterno, shown here, was Penn State assistant coach in 1960. He was enshrined into the National Football Foundation’s College Hall of Fame on July 19, 2007.

In 1968, he was a member of the Penn State coaching staff. Additionally, he received the Gold Medal, the National Football Foundation’s highest honor, along with Florida State’s Bobby Bowden, in a video presentation at the 2006 Hall of Fame Awards Dinner.

Joe Paterno is a five-time National Coach of the Year honoree, and has 372 career victories to rank second to Florida State’s Bobby Bowden (373) among major college coaches.

In 1969, Coach Paterno was in his 43rd season as head coach of the Nittany Lions. Paterno was was injured in a sideline collision during a November 2006 game, at Wisconsin, and his induction into the Hall of Fame had to be delayed until 2007.

In 1972, Paterno received the Cotton Bowl trophy, as the Nittany Lions defeated the University of Texas by a score of 30-6. He is the all-time leader among coaches in bowl appearances and victories (23-10-1). His 69.1 winning percentage is second-best all-time among coaches with at least 12 bowl appearances.

On January 1, 1983, the Penn State Nittany Lions defeated Georgia (27-23) to earn their first National Championship, under Coach Paterno’s leadership. And, Paterno’s teams have recorded five undefeated seasons, 21 finishes in the AP Top 10, 33 Top 25 finishes, and two National Championships.

Head Coach Joe Paterno has coached 74 All-Americans, 15 NFF National Scholar-Athletes, more than 300 future NFL players, and seven members of the College Football Hall of Fame. penn state football

Paterno was the 21st member of the Penn State Football family to be enshrined into the Hall of Fame. He joined four former coaches and 16 players, seven of whom he coached – John Cappalletti, Keith Dorney, Jack Ham, Ted Kwalick, Lydell Mitchell, Dennis Onkotz, and Mike Reid. Former Nittany Lion coaches Dick Harlow (1915-1917), Hugo Bezdek (1918-1929), Bob Higgins (1930-1948), and Rip Engle (1950-1965) are also members of the Hall of Fame.

But, this lion is more than just a coach, he also gives back. In 1998, Joe and Sue Paterno gave a $3.5 million gift to Penn State. In total, the Paternos have given more than $4 million to the University to help causes, such as the library, scholarships, and the spiritual center.

Prior to the beginning of a game, Coach Paterno told his team to “Cheer, don’t boo. Have fun and behave.”

Head Coach Joe Paterno’s Record:
Overall: Won 372, Lost 125, Tied 3 (Winning percentage 74.7)
Regular Season Record: Won 349, Lost 115, Tied 2 (75.1%)
Bowl Record: Won 23, Lost 10, Tied 1 (69.1%)
New Year’s Bowl Record: Won 15, Lost 6 (72.7%)

Keep roaring, Joe!

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What is the value of a college degree? For most people, the answer to this question seems self-evident. Aside from its intrinsic value, numerous reports have confirmed that an individual’s job opportunities and earning potential increase significantly with a college degree. And yet, there seems to be a small but vociferous faction that claims otherwise. Take this article, for instance — “Wise Up! Skip College. Buy a Franchise” — which recently appeared on the website Franchisepick.com. The author writes:

Recent H.S. Graduates, you are at a crossroads. One path leads to the instant gratification of 4-5 years of partying and debauchery at Mediocre U., then a meaningless diploma, a mountain of debt, and an eventual minimum wage position cleaning the grease traps at the local Bun ‘N Run. The other path? Skip college, invest the same amount of money in a Bun ‘N Run franchise opportunity, and, in four years, be partying in high style aboard your yacht while MBA candidates clean your grease traps and deposit your daily haul.

While written tongue-in-cheek, this article does reveal a genuine suspicion among many people that a college degree just isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I’ve read a number of these articles, and most, if not all, tend to discount college degrees for one or both of the following reasons: (1) college degrees are too expensive; and (2) success can be had without a college degree. I’d like to address each of these reasons and see if they hold water.

First, let’s address the cost of a college degree. The College Board reported last year that the average cost of college, including room and board, was about 13,000 at public schools and 30,000 at private schools. That amounts to about $50,000 and $120,000 for a four-year degree, respectively. Given that most students attend school full-time, one might also add to those figures the cost of lost wages, which could easily be another $100,000, thus bringing to the “true cost” of a college degree to somewhere between $150,000 and $230,000 dollars.

That’s quite a hole. Still, even with that debt, studies have shown time and time again the long-term financial benefits of a college degree. For instance, the United States Census Bureau reported in 2004 that an individual with a bachelor’s degree makes about $30,000 more annually than someone with only a high school diploma. Over the course of a working lifetime, that’s more than million dollars. Thus, any initial savings made possible by skipping college are greatly outweighed by the long-term consequences, which are severe.

That brings us to the second reason. Can’t you succeed without a college degree? What about all the people that have made millions without going to college? Good question. It’s true there have been dozens of noteworthy people who never attended college or who never finished. The list includes such luminaries as Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, the Wright Brothers, Steve Jobs, and Bill Gates. Well, what of them? First of all, the fact that they are notable — meaning rare — tells you how often it happens.

Basically, it’s a case study between possible and probable. It’s like the casino telling you to play roulette all day instead of working for a living. Sure, you can strike it big and live out the rest of your days in luxury — that’s possible. But statistics show that it’s far more probable that you’ll lose everything and end up “smoking doobies in a van down by the river.” So, unless you think you’re then next Albert Einstein or Bill Gates, a better bet would be to play the percentages and go to college. After all, there’s a reason why no one publishes a list of millionaires and other notables who actually finished their college degree. Those people are the rule, not the exception.

Thus, any pundits who claim, sarcastically or not, that a college just isn’t worth the trouble or the money, are in error. Yes, college degrees are expensive, but they are also investments with the potential for a big payoff. (Granted, as with any investment, that payoff isn’t assured, but the likelihood of success is far greater.) It’s true that some people have succeeded without a college degree, but those people belong to a very small minority. Don’t let anyone fool you: significant monetary success without some kind of education is hardly a well-worn track. That’s why it’s newsworthy when it does happen.

In the final analysis, it seems the grounds for discounting the worth of a college degree are based either on poor math or logical fallacies — two errors, ironically, that a college education is supposed to correct.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Benjamin Welch has been a college instructor in writing and composition for nearly six years. When he’s not teaching or playing golf, he offers advice for students seeking information about online education and online degrees.