Campus Life

Jim, Evelyn Piazza to discuss their son's death, next steps in WPSU interviews

Interviews will air on WPSU-FM’s “Take Note” on Sept. 7 and 9, WPSU-TV’s “Digging Deeper” on Sept. 23.

Evelyn and Jim Piazza Credit: Min Xian/WPSU Penn StateAll Rights Reserved.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Jim and Evelyn Piazza, parents of Timothy Piazza, will talk about the death of their son and their hope for changes throughout the Greek-life community and on college campuses when interviews with the couple air on WPSU in September.

WPSU-FM’s “Take Note” will air its interview with the Piazzas on Friday, Sept. 7, at 1 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 9, at 7 a.m. Penn State President Eric J. Barron’s interview with the couple for WPSU-TV’s “Digging Deeper” will air on Sunday, Sept. 23, at 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Timothy Piazza was a sophomore at Penn State in 2017 when he died after a night of pledging at the former Beta Theta Pi fraternity. Since their son’s death, Jim and Evelyn Piazza have been working with Penn State and universities and fraternity organizations throughout the country to share their story and seek reforms.

“We need the universities, the national fraternities, the legislators to change the laws, the court systems to enforce the laws and ultimately the individuals,” said Jim Piazza during the taping of “Digging Deeper.” “I think if we can get everyone working together, collaboratively, believing that hazing really is a problem, it’s an issue and it’s illegal, then I think we change that culture over a period of three to four years.”

Evelyn Piazza said they hope to educate students to make better decisions.

“We’re not just some adult up at a podium telling you ‘Do not haze,’” she said. “We‘re letting you know what happened to us and what happened to our kid and what the consequences of the loss is to us and their friends and their family. As long as they can feel it, then they will remember it.”

“Take Note” is WPSU’s weekly community affairs program that features in-depth interviews with central Pennsylvania and national newsmakers. President Barron hosts “Digging Deeper” on WPSU-TV each month during the academic year to address University and national issues.

Visit the WPSU website for more information.

Credit: WPSU Penn State / Penn StateCreative Commons

Last Updated June 2, 2021

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