"2001 Round Table Award" --  By Ms. Ashley Ford, Cho Dan Bo

   This past October, the Penn State Martial Arts Group traveled to the Poconos for the annual Region 8 Competition. This year, for the third time, a member of the Penn State Martial Art Group was honored with the Round Table award. The Round Table award is given to one person every year, selected by the Masters or the "Round Table." It is given in recognition of their dedication and contribution to their Studio, their Association and to the Art of Tang Soo Do. This year's winner was Dr. Susan Strohm, E Dan. She was shocked when she received it and found it hard to put into words the tremendous meaning it held for her. Dr Strohm felt she had simply been continuing the tradition of contribution that she had been taught by the Penn State group. The lesson of doing what was needed and using your talents to help your association was passed down to her from watching her instructors. Dr. Strohm believes that every student of Tang Soo Do brings their own different and unique talents to the club, whether it is a talent for teaching younger students, being artistic or being able to speak in front of large groups. To Dr. Strohm, winning this award was more of an honor to the Penn State Martial Group as a whole than it was to simply herself.
   Penn State Martial Arts Group has a tradition of turning out students who continually contribute whatever is needed, when it is needed. Dr. Strohm is following in the footsteps of former Penn State Round Table winners Master Michael Kaye who won the award in 1995 before he received the rank of Master, Ms. Kelly Kemper, who received the award the following year and Mr. Kenneth Peterman, who now instructs at Brandywine Martial Arts and won the award in 2000. To Master Kaye, it was an honor to be able to contribute to the art that had given him so much and to follow the impression left by his Instructor Master Michael White. Master Kaye is also pleased to see the tradition of excellence and contribution continued on in the Penn State Group. Ms. Kelly Kemper was also honored to receive this award from people whom she truly respected. All three hope that the tradition of contribution will be continued and they will continue to contribute and to set an example of excellence for others to follow and learn from.