Intern Blog

To say the last three months have been difficult would be an understatement. The Penn State family has had to deal with having its school in the media spotlight, accusations of child sex abuse against a former defensive coach and now the death of its iconic former head coach, Joe Paterno.

Sunday night, thousands of Penn State students, alumni and community members gathered on Old Main Lawn to remember the coach during a candlelight vigil. Players spoke, the Blue Band played songs and an a cappella group sang the alma mater. Students said they wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

“I had to. Joe Paterno is the face of this university,” said Kevin Cannon, a sophomore. “With the circumstances as they were, unfortunately, the last few months, it’s only fitting to come and remember the good he did here, the great man he was, the values he upheld, some would say for 99 percent of his life.”

Cannon said Paterno is “just so important here, as you can see from all the people around us. And he meant so much, I had to.”

To many students, Paterno was an icon who touched millions of lives.

“Joe meant so much, not just the football players, but all the community,” said Rachel Angstadt, a sophomore. “I feel like when we all pay our respects it will show him just how much he meant to us.”

Evan Smith, a freshman, created a “We Love JoePa” sign for the vigil.

“We just thought that it paid a lot of respect to him and that it would be something nice to leave at the statue,” Smith said. “Just with everything going on, we thought it was appropriate.”

Over 5,000 students, fans and community members stood on the lawn to remember Paterno and his legacy at Penn State. Julie Litz, a junior, said the turnout was “amazing.”

“It’s unbelievable how many people come out, how many people keep coming,” she said. “It’s never-ending. All the people that came out yesterday. Just to show how much he has meant to all of us. I think it’s great.”

Several football players spoke of their experiences with Paterno.

“We are not just athletes, we are not just students. We are a reflection of who Joe Paterno is,” cornerback Mike Wallace said. “He has shaped me into the man I am today. Every so often you encounter certain people in your life; God places certain people in your life. He was brought into this world to basically change the world.”

“Part of what makes Penn State such a great place is Coach Paterno,” quarterback Matt McGloin added. “This place is definitely going to be changed. Coach Joe’s tradition will carry over into our everyday lives.”

Paternoville President, John Tecce, spoke during the vigil as well. “I stand up here tonight to represent all of you,” he said. “For us he was a sort of hilarious grandfather figure. For generations past he was a dynamic, sharp figure. He was bigger than life.”

He added that it “feels like losing a family member. It shows who Joe really was and what he did for Penn State, Pennsylvania. We love ya Joe.”

Everyone then walked to Paterno’s statue outside of Beaver Stadium, and chants of “We Are…Penn State” and “We love Joe!” echoed through the air.

Jimmy Finnerty, freshman at Penn State said the community has been through a lot in the past few months. “At the end of the day it really made me feel like a part of this giant family, even more so than I knew. It’s a fantastic feeling knowing that we all can be together, put aside all our differences and come together for this one thing we agree on, and it’s Joe Paterno.”

The family has asked for donations to be donated to the Special Olympics of Pennsylvania or THON, the Penn State Dance Marathon.