Spencerport, N.Y.—Breanna Jacobs picked up some bumper stickers and a Joseph Paterno magnet for her car recently; the only problem is that she’s scared to put them on her car.
“I’m afraid my car might get vandalized,” said Jacobs, a sophomore journalism student at Penn State.
She and her classmates watched in disbelief as NCAA President Mark Emmert dolled out punishment against the University and its football team following the child sex abuse scandal and alleged cover-up.
“I think secretly, we were hoping maybe it’s not going to be that bad,” said Jacobs.
The punishment was worse than she and classmate Matt Trabold could have imagined.
Penn State will vacate 111 wins, must pay $60 million in fines and face years of bowl bans and a loss of scholarships among other penalties.
Prideful students are still looking forward to finishing their collegiate careers, though they remain concerned about the continuing fallout of the sex scandal as do their families.
“You hear these news reports of death threats and rioting,” said Ruth Jacobs, Breanna’s mother. “I wanted to make sure she didn’t have concerns about being there, her safety and her future. That this wasn’t going to mar her chances of getting a good job or impede her career in any way,” continued Jacobs.
Ruth Jacobs asked her daughter repeatedly if she would like to transfer. Despite trepidation surrounding the placement of her bumper stickers, the answer continues to be no.
Breanna Jacobs says living through a controversial period in the school’s history will make her a better person.
“It doesn’t change how great the degree is. Coming out with a Penn State degree is looked upon as pretty good,” said Jacobs.
