Campus Philly

Photo © Cabrini College

Here are this week’s top five news bites from our local colleges and universities:

Drexel Dragon Soars With The Eagles

A business administration major at Drexel, Sage Cifaloglio, now has a new way to introduce herself at parties: as a cheerleader for the Philadelphia Eagles. Cifaloglio, who has been dancing since she was two years old, beat out hundreds of other applicants to become one of the 8 new dancers, rounding out a squad of 38 dancers.

Journalist-in-Residence Jim MacMillan Heads New Project to Help Combat Gun Violence

Jim MacMillan, the journalist-in-residence at Swarthmore College, has started #GunCrisis, an open-source journalism project designed to examine the gun homicide epidemic in Philadelphia. The project attempts to view gun violence as a public health issue, without devolving into the tired old patterns of the gun control debate.

Summer Camp Brings Children with Autism and their “Neuro-typical” Peers Together

This summer, for the third year in a row, St. Joe’s Kinney Center for Autism Education and Support will host a summer camp designed to integrate autistic and neurotypical children. The camp will host 43 children, ranging in age from 3 to 14. Each of the autistic campers will receive one-on-one mentorship from a St. Joe’s student with special training in autism spectrum disorder.

Rutgers-Camden Grad Leaves Campus Better Suited for Students with Disabilities

Darlene Hemerka, a graduating Rutgers-Camden senior who double majored in political science and urban studies, has championed awareness of handicapped students and made the campus more accessible through her student organization, the Coalition of Disability Awareness. Hemerka, who gets around with a walker due to cerebral palsy, is now moving on to City Year, a program wherein college graduates work with at-risk youths and encourage them to stay in school.

NBA draft: Wayns spends a dream day with Sixers

Villanova point guard Maalik Wayns, a lifelong Philadelphian, lived out a childhood dream when he attended the 76ers first pre-draft workout. The 21-year-old, who attended Roman Catholic High School in Philly, is projected by most scouting services to be a 2^nd round pick.

You can contact Wesley Brown at wbrown3@villanova.edu.