ABINGTON, Pa. — Penn State Abington is one of the most diverse campuses within Penn State and as such the college makes it a priority to embrace its broad variety of cultures and languages inside and outside of the classroom. One faculty member, Grace Lee-Amuzie, has developed a novel way of doing so through the course AMST 197 Intercultural Conversation.

Prior to the coronavirus pandemic — which has led to remote learning at the University's campuses across the state — Abington's local residents would come to Lee-Amuzie's class each week and pair off with students to discuss specific topics and learn some of the intricacies of other cultures and languages along the way. Each duo was supplied with a grid of questions relevant to the theme to help keep the conversation flowing.

“The purpose is to provide international students with opportunities for meaningful, authentic intercultural interactions with Americans,” Lee-Amuzie, assistant teaching professor of applied linguistics and coordinator of Academic Integration for Multilingual Student Success, said.

For example, one day students and their partners discussed greeting cards, which led to explanations of how their cultures celebrate holidays and mark milestones such as births and deaths. Wardah F. Ibrahim, a Corporate Communication major of Palestinian descent, and Tumi Ojutalayo, a volunteer, worked on the greeting card assignment together. Ojutalayo brought along a stack of cards to share including photocards and others made by her children. 

They discussed why greeting cards are so popular in America and the decline of the practice with the advent of social media.

“Some countries are more private and don't want to share even with cards. Americans are more open with social media. It’s no longer private. People feel like they have to post it,” Ojutalayo said. “In America people like to express thoughts, emotions, and concerns by writing cards and posting on social media."

“In my culture, it would never be just the card. It would be the card and something else. People like to do things in person,” Ibrahim said, while recalling hand-delivering hundreds of wedding invitations for a family member. “If there’s a funeral, we make food, but there isn’t always a card.”

Janet and Bob Uetz are also the community volunteers. Janet retired from Johnson & Johnson after working in global research and development, and Bob was a programmer/analyst.

“I love interacting with students and hearing stories,” Janet Eutz said. “It’s wonderful to learn about the different cultures. This gives me life.”

Lee-Amuzie said both volunteers and her students look forward to the sessions, which she plans to continue remotely.

“It seems that generational gaps between students and volunteers are pluses for our purpose,” she said. “My sense is that students feel free to ask why-questions about the American culture without being afraid of offending the other or his/her perceptions.

“Some students told me that they feel like their partner is like their American grandparent, uncle or aunt. When I observe the pairs interacting, it is very obvious that students and volunteers alike truly enjoy talking to each other," said Lee-Amuzie.

About Penn State Abington

Penn State Abington provides an affordable, accessible and high-impact education resulting in the success of a diverse student body. It is committed to student success through innovative approaches to 21st-century public higher education within a world-class research university. With about 3,700 students, Penn State Abington is a residential campus that offers baccalaureate degrees in 21 majors, undergraduate research, the Schreyer honors program, NCAA Division III athletics, and more.

HAZLETON, Pa. – More than 200 students from Penn State Hazleton were recently named to the dean’s list for the fall 2019 semester. The following students earned a single semester GPA of at least 3.5:

• Mark Adelmalek, Drums
• Somery Abreu de la Cruz, Hazleton
• Nicholas Ahn, Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Andrea Alcantara, New York City, New York
• Ryan Almquist, Milford
• Nataly Arias, Hazleton
• Caitlyn Ashelman, Macungie Township
• Zachary Baran, Drums
• Nicholas Berger, Weatherly
• Abby Bessoir, Scranton
• Kaitlyn Bolinsky, Bloomsburg
• Cassandra Book, Sugarloaf Township
• Andrew Brink, New Columbia
• Mark Buchinsky, Shenandoah
• Autumn Bugda, Hazle Township
• David Caldwell, Mountain Top
• RosaLydia Caputo, New York
• Caleb Carpenter, Lehighton
• Alyssa Casiano, East Stroudsburg
• Rachell Castro Zapada, Hazle Township
• Samantha Catania, Kunkletown
• Misty Chadda, Stroudsburg
• Seo Rin Chang, South Korea
• Jerrika Chorba, Bloomsburg
• Kaylee Chyko, Weston
• Kahlan Ciardullo, Brownstown
• Nathalie Contreras, New York
• Courtney Cragle, Hunlock Creek
• Nicole Cragle, Hunlock Creek
• Alexa Cunfer, Sugarloaf
• James Cusate, Hazleton
• Roxxy Dacosta, Bronx, New York
• Meghan Darrough, Drums
• Vishnu Tej Dasari, Bloomsburg
• Michelle Dean, Lewisburg
• Lauren Degler, Fleetwood
• Cesarina del Rosario, Hazleton
• Lillian Delfino, New York City, New York
• Jacob Deremer, Sugarloaf
• David Dewitt, Sugarloaf
• Bianca DiFebo, Nanticoke
• Kayla DiSabella, Drums
• Tahiry Dominguez, West Hazleton
• Laura Dorsey, Lebanon
• Stephanie Ednie, Harleigh
• Lenissa Encarnacion, West Hazleton
• Garrett Engler, Nescopek
• Lauren Erdmann, California
• Carolina Espinoza Salomon, Springfield, New Jersey
• Natalie Faybisovich, East Stroudsburg
• Hayley Fellin, Hazleton
• Jennifer Fisher, Drums
• Nichole Fisher, Oneida
• Lilly Fitt, Hazleton
• Emily Flaim, Conyngham
• Daniel Frisk, White Haven
• Andrew Fuller, Kingston
• Daniel Galffy, Berwick
• Julia Garbacz, Effort
• Ryan Glacken, Scranton
• Lauren Gober, Hegins
• Lauren Gombeda, Hazleton
• Moriah Graaf, McAdoo
• Molly Granza, Peckville
• Casey Grover, Beaver Meadows
• Michelle Hackenberg, Danville
• Tyler Hall, Kelayres
• A’Lasja Harvey, Paterson, New Jersey
• Satchit Hegde, Mumbai, India
• Sadie Heiney, Palmerton
• Michael Herbinko, Wilkes-Barre
• Luxaida Hernandez, Hazleton
• Jaclyn Hess, Bangor
• Alexa Hillabold, Bloomsburg
• Robert Hopkins, Mountain Top
• Nicholas Hreha, Dunmore
• Rayhan Ishak, Tampa, Florida
• Anush Iyer, Mumbai, India
• Kasey Jackson, Sinking Spring
• Natalie Jean, East Stroudsburg
• Leeishla Jimenez, Mahanoy City
• Olivia Johannes, Waymart
• Sharnakae Johnson, Bronx, New York
• Tristen Johnson, Wapwallopen
• Briana Jones, Park Ridge, New Jersey
• Christopher Jones, Drums
• Aaron Kacyon, Fern Glen
• Rylee Kane, Mahanoy City
• Meliah Kennedy, Hazleton
• Anthony Kismal, Drums
• Wyatt Kindler, Mountain Top
• Jared Kolbush, McAdoo
• Christopher Krout, Mountain Top
• Hailey Kupusnick, Frackville
• Christopher Kurdziel, Lehighton
• Andrew Kwiatkowski, Montgomery Village, Maryland
• Sara Lamana, Allentown
• Aaron Leinhard, Jim Thorpe
• Jeremy Lloyd, Muncy
• Cassidy Lugo, Hazleton
• Evan Lunney, White Haven
• Gregory Lyons, Millville
• Carina Madera, Hazleton
• Carolina Madera, Hazleton
• Dajana Maljkovic, Hazleton
• Yugandhar Mankar, Mumbai, India
• Yinette Martinez, Hazleton
• Lauren Matyas, Sugarloaf
• Kaylee Mauser, Fredericksburg
• Lisa McDonough, Kelayres
• Marissa McMullen, Harleysville
• Philip McCoy, Sugarloaf
• Tanishq Mehta, Mumbai, India
• Ruth Mejia, Hazleton
• Christian Meyers, Pottsville
• Konnor Michaels, Bloomsburg
• Kasey Middleton, Bronx, New York
• Kirstie Moni, West Hazleton
• Amanda Montz, Weatherly
• Ben Moore, Bloomsburg
• Ashley Morales, Bangor
• John Morillo, Hazleton
• Autumn Morris, Bloomsburg
• Megan Moses, Zion Grove
• Meghan Moyer, Wilkes-Barre
• Kethry Mucci, Drums
• Salma Munoz Hernandez, Hazleton
• Janil Munoz, West Hazleton
• Mikayla Neaus, Hazle Township
• Felisha Nunez, West Hazleton
• Nikki O’Neil, Ringtown
• Alexander Orrson, Mountain Top
• Kevin Osifat, Weatherly
• Samantha Paisley, Weatherly
• Marsha Palmer, Elkins Park
• Nicole Paranich, Mountain Top
• Crismery Paredes, Hazleton
• Ayesha Patel, Mifflinville
• Ariana Paulhamus, West Hazleton
• Connor Paulshock, Sugarloaf
• Gavin Paulshock, Sugarloaf
• Alfonso Penilla, Freeland
• Jacob Peters, Mountain Top
• Frederick Pfeiffer, Gillett
• Walter Pilger, Hazle Township
• Miguel Polanco, Hazleton
• Madison Polumbo, Freeland
• Kyra Popovitz, Albrightsville
• Seth Porpiglia, Tresckow
• Dartagnan Powlus, Bloomsburg
• Camille Principe, Lake Harmony
• Joshua Provost, Hazle Township
• Kyle Quade, Hazle Township
• William Quigley, Oakland, New Jersey
• Benjamin Raines, Scranton
• Arielle Ramirez, Bronx, New York
• Silvio Reyes, Hazleton
• Semion Richards-Sampson, East Stroudsburg
• Garrett Rokosky, Selinsgrove
• Liz Rosa de Aza, Shenandoah
• Lynn Rosa de Aza, Shenandoah
• Ariel Rowlands, Wapwallopen
• Josey Rupert, Shickshinny
• Anthony Salazer, McAdoo
• Steven Santiago Perez, West Hazleton
• Hillary Santos Pena, Hazleton
• Penayoti Saras, White Haven
• Ryan Sassani, Shamokin
• Shea Selgrade, Girardville
• Ty Shaffer, Sugarloaf
• Samantha Shamonsky, Tamaqua
• Eric Shellock, Weatherly
• Shloka Shinde, Mumbai, India
• Sanjana Singh, Danville
• Christian Smith, Hazleton
• Jasmine Sodhi, Wilkes-Barre
• Zorangel Sosa, Hazleton
• Joshua Sterling, Mountain Top
• Shannon Stewart, Chalfont
• Jeremy Stock, Hazleton
• Christian Stoudt, Myerstown
• Angela Strohl, Jim Thorpe
• Jacob Swartwood, Mountain Top
• Francis Tapia, West Hazleton
• Jacob Taschler, Lehighton
• Megan Taylor, Kunkletown
• Bryan Tejada Zolquier, Hazleton
• Ashlyn Thuringer, Hazleton
• Carlos Torres, Hazeton
• Stephen Tressler, McAdoo
• Christine Turse, Drums
• Hannah Ulsh, Wiconisco
• John Vance, Orangeville
• Andrew Vargas, Hazleton
• Joan Vasquez, Hazleton
• Marisol Velazquez, Shenandoah
• Brett Vital, Wapwallopen
• Nicholas Vital, Mountain Top
• Alyssa Vitiello, Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey
• James Walsh, Mountain Top
• Victoria Warg, Hazle Township
• Jonte Washington, East Stroudsburg
• Abigail Weaver, Fayetteville, Georgia
• Chelsea Welch, McAdoo
• Andrew Whitesall, Drums
• Isabella Winder, Drums
• Kyle Winder, Drums
• David Wontor II, Lords Valley
• Aaron Wrobleski, Mountain Top
• Ashley Yeager, Drums
• Zachary Yeager, Drums
• Dominika Zandrowicz, Cresco
• Nikolas Zasada, Mountain Top
• Jason Zingaretti, Mountain Top

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Students from all undergraduate majors now have more time to apply to one-year master’s programs offered by the Penn State Smeal College of Business. The college has extended the application deadlines in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

“In these unprecedented times of uncertainty, extending our deadline allows students more time to determine what is the right move for their careers and their futures,” said Ryan Hess, associate director of admission at Smeal.

The college is waiving the original April 1 deadline and will now accept applications on a rolling basis for its five residential, one-year master’s programs, all of which are held at University Park:

• Master of Accounting: Students will gain the technical competence and expertise to pass the CPA Exam and enter a career in any area of accounting. Begins fall 2020.
• Master’s in Business Analytics (STEM-designated): Students will gain the skills needed to transform raw data into evidence-based decisions in today’s fast-paced business environment using descriptive, predictive and prescriptive analytics. Begins fall 2020.
• Master’s in Corporate Finance (STEM-designated): Students will develop critical thinking skills in areas such as corporate strategy, valuation, market analysis, capital budgeting, mergers and acquisitions, investment analysis and more, to stand out in the corporate world. Begins summer 2020.
• Master’s in Management and Organizational Leadership: Students with a STEM background will gain a strong business foundation to help them compete for early career management and leadership roles with top organizations. Begins fall 2020.
• Master of Science in Real Estate Analysis and Development (STEM-designated): Students will gain the specialized analytical tools and techniques to help them succeed in careers such as commercial real estate analysis, real-estate portfolio management, real-estate research, commercial lending and more. Begins summer 2020.

Additionally, all of these master’s programs are “stackable,” meaning students can potentially earn two degrees in two years by pursuing a dual degree and waiving overlapping classes.

How to apply

Since Penn State has transitioned to virtual instruction and staff are operating remotely, the Smeal graduate admissions team and ambassadors are available to meet with prospective students virtually. The team will be expediting reviews received after April 1 to ensure applicants have sufficient time to obtain the necessary transcripts, exam scores, and travel visas.

If a student is unable to submit test scores due to the closing of testing centers, applications will still undergo review; however, test scores will be required before a final decision can be made. Domestic students who are unable to complete the exam can apply for a testing waiver.

“Before COVID-19, many students thought they had figured out what they were going to do after graduation,” Hess said. “However, the volatile economy has caused a change of plans for many students. Our programs offer students an opportunity to gain additional skills before entering the workforce. This can provide them with a leg-up in an increasingly competitive marketplace.”

For more information about Smeal’s one-year residential master’s programs, visit the website.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Over the next two weeks, the Department of Sociology and Criminology in the College of the Liberal Arts at Penn State will host a series of conversations with seven legal professionals. The sessions, which are open to all liberal arts students, will be held via Zoom. 

Monday, March 30, 7 p.m. — Lawrence Claus, prosecutor(Zoom link)

Lawrence Claus served for nearly 50 years as a criminal prosecutor, Grand Jury Counsel, and trial attorney at both state and county levels in Pennsylvania, specializing in cases involving public corruption, organized crime, and homicide. Claus successfully prosecuted numerous organized crime and public corruption cases while working for the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office and rose to the rank of deputy attorney general. As an assistant district attorney for Allegheny County, Claus litigated all types of crimes and served as the head of the homicide unit. He also taught for several decades in both undergraduate and graduate university programs, including programs at the University of Pittsburgh and Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Tuesday, March 31, 2 p.m. — Shirleen Chin, international lawyer and eco-justice advocate (Zoom link)

Shirleen Chin is an international legal expert working on matters related to environmental crime, international criminal law, illicit trade, anti-corruption, organized crime and economic crimes. She has worked largely in the non-profit sector, with some years in the private sector. Chin is currently the managing director of Green Transparency, a firm that provides clients with the tools and expertise they need to effectively manage their environmental strategies. She is based in The Hague, the Netherlands.

Wednesday, April 1, 7 p.m. — Andrea Taylor Cornwall, public defender (Zoom link)

Andrea Taylor Cornwall, public defender, has spent her legal career with the Wisconsin State Public Defender's Office representing the indigent in Wisconsin's trial and appellate courts. She has been the regional attorney manager of the Milwaukee Appellate Office since 2015. Cornwall has argued before the Wisconsin Supreme Court and Wisconsin Court of Appeals and currently has a case with a pending petition for writ of certiorari in the U.S. Supreme Court.

Thursday, April 2, 2 p.m. — Craig Donnachie, FBI special agent (Zoom link)

Craig Donnachie, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1992 and served as a U.S. Army officer prior to joining the FBI in 1997. He was assigned to the FBI New York's Joint Terrorism Task Force and remained there through 2005. He also served assignments at FBIHQ, the FBI Louisville Division, as well as two overseas posts: Berlin, Germany, and his current assignment in The Hague, Netherlands. His specialty areas are counterterrorism, organized crime, money laundering, and cyber-based fraud.

Monday, April 6, 7 p.m. — Daniel Soeffing, DEA agent (Zoom link)

Daniel Soeffing is a Drug Enforcement Administration agent stationed in Philadelphia. He holds a law degree and served as a prosecutor before joining the DEA. Soeffing has led multiple successful drug trafficking investigations during his tenure at the DEA.

Tuesday, April 7, 7 p.m. — Frank Marsh, FBI Academy instructor (Zoom link)

Frank Marsh is an instructor at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. He is an expert in communication analysis and previously worked as an intelligence analyst for the U.S. military and National Drug Intelligence Center.

Wednesday, April 8, 7 p.m. — Joseph Migliozzi, judge (Zoom link)

The Honorable Joseph Migliozzi is a Norfolk, Virginia Circuit Court Judge. Before his appointment to the bench, Migliozzi served as capital defender, the attorney tasked with handling appeals for death row inmates. He successfully argued Atkins v. Virginia before the U.S. Supreme Court, which resulted in the court ruling that executing mentally challenged inmates was cruel and unusual.

Questions about the sessions can be directed to Howie Smith, the event coordinator and associate teaching professor of criminology, at hbs103@psu.edu.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State University Libraries’ Office of Scholarly Communications and Copyright has scheduled another series of free virtual workshops for Penn State students, faculty and staff that cover Penn State’s new Open Access policy and copyright issues.

All workshops will be offered via Zoom. Participants should register via Penn State’s Learning Resource Network at the links provided.

For more information, contact Ana Enriquez, scholarly communications outreach librarian, at aee32@psu.edu.

Following is a list of the workshops, with links for registration.

Open Access

Basics of the Open Access Movement, Wednesday, April 1, noon to 1 p.m.

Learn the history and current directions of the open access movement. Ask your questions. Get prepared to advocate for open access at Penn State and beyond. Register: http://ow.ly/iwMY50ydtU1

Penn State's Open Access Policy, Wednesday, April 8, noon to 1 p.m.

Penn State’s new Open Access policy (AC02) applies to scholarly articles written by University researchers. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to make your articles open and how to get a waiver if you do not wish to make an article open. Participants will practice using SHERPA/RoMEO to check the default terms of journals’ copyright agreements and learn how to use the Penn State Author’s Addendum to modify those defaults. Register: http://ow.ly/oBzi50yap4U

Basics of the Open Access Movement, Wednesday, April 21, noon to 1 p.m.

Learn the history and current directions of the open access movement. Ask your questions. Get prepared to advocate for open access at Penn State and beyond. Register: http://ow.ly/iwMY50ydtU1

Introduction to Copyright

Introduction to Copyright: What’s Protected? (Part 1 of 3), Monday, April 6, noon to 1 p.m.

Learn what kinds of works copyright covers, how works enter the public domain, and what rights copyright gives to copyright holders. Register: http://ow.ly/BdvL30qud4a

Introduction to Copyright: When You Don’t Need Permission (Part 2 of 3), Monday, April 13, noon to 1 p.m.

Learn about fair use and other rights that enable you to use copyrighted works without permission. Register: http://ow.ly/qQcX30qude5

Introduction to Copyright: Permission and Who Can Grant It (Part 3 of 3), Monday, April 20, noon to 1 p.m.

​Learn how to identify a rights holder, how to take advantage of an existing license (including Creative Commons licenses), and how to seek permission. Register: http://ow.ly/TFkg30qudrg

ABINGTON, Pa. — Penn State Abington is offering more than 200 online courses during the summer of 2020. Registration is now open for all three sessions: Maymester (May 11 to June 5), Summer I (May 18 to June 26), and Summer II (June 29 to Aug. 7). 

Eva Klein, senior administrator for Academic Affairs, said most summer courses were moved online even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States, forcing schools to pivot to remote learning.

“Students at other Penn State campuses and other universities can take advantage of our courses without having to come to campus. This has proven to be a very popular option in past summer terms,” she said.

Some courses are synchronous, which means they are offered at a specific time and day of the week when students must log on. Others are asynchronous, meaning that students log on when they are free to listen to lectures or work on assignments. 

“Summer is a great time to take a course that you really want to focus on such as a math or science. You can get ahead or stay on track and take a course you need as a prerequisite for your fall schedule," Klein said. “Taking courses over the summer is also a way to graduate sooner. And we offer small class sizes — even our online courses don't enroll more than 20 to 25 students in a class.”  

Online courses offered at Abington this summer include art, accounting, anthropology, art history, business, biology, communication arts and sciences, chemistry, computer science, criminal justice, economics, English, finance, history, geography, information sciences and technology, kinesiology, math, music, nutrition, philosophy, physics, psychology, rehabilitation and human services, science, sociology, Spanish, and statistics.

For more information and to register, go to https://abington.psu.edu/summer-classes/summer-calendar.

About Penn State Abington

Penn State Abington provides an affordable, accessible and high-impact education resulting in the success of a diverse student body. It is committed to student success through innovative approaches to 21st-century public higher education within a world-class research university. With about 3,700 students, Penn State Abington is a residential campus that offers baccalaureate degrees in 21 majors, undergraduate research, the Schreyer honors program, NCAA Division III athletics, and more. 

Penn State Abington corporate communication students who are enrolled in a risk and crisis management course are gaining real-world experience as they examine the coronavirus pandemic and the figures associated with this crisis. While the students are sympathetic to the fact that these numbers are associated with death, illness and an incredible negative economic impact, the lessons associated with this pandemic allow students an opportunity to develop guidance that the government and even individuals could follow.  

Their work is taking place outside of the traditional classroom setting since Abington transitioned to remote learning last month due to COVID-19.

“The class voted to scrap their individual crisis research projects in favor a collaborative, multipronged report analyzing the coronavirus using content from their textbook, research articles, news reporting, social media, and personal experience,” said Melvin Gupton, assistant professor of corporate communication.

The students split into five teams for the data collection phase of the project.

The academic literature review team is identifying and locating articles from the past 12 years that deal with viruses and infectious diseases. They are uploading the abstracts along with key findings from the articles and how they relate to what the nation is experiencing with COVID-19. Their final document will showcase their results and common threads from the research discussions.

Students on the newspaper scan team are using The New York Times to track COVID-19 from its infancy in China to today. They will assemble newspaper headlines that paint a narrative of the pandemic before it was labeled as such. 

“The daily headlines tell a clear story of the transmission of the coronavirus,” Gupton said.

The newspaper scan team is divided into four tracks.

• Track 1: They are identifying the number of cases worldwide and the infection rates in the top countries from December to the present and graphing the results. 
• Track 2: Students are tracing statements from the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization leading up to the designation of the virus as a pandemic. They are tasked with identifying the changing recommendations and policies.
• Track 3: These students are focusing a newspaper scan on the unprecedented change reflected in the stock indexes by tracing financial data since February and describing and graphing the change. They will then provide leading indicators of what some are predicting as a global recession. 
• Track 4: They are focusing the newspaper examination on how COVID-19 is changing daily life and how we learn, socialize, and relate in an era of social distancing. They are also exploring the guidelines being implemented by different states.  

“In addition to the threat and sometimes destruction that is inherent in a crisis, there are also opportunities for renewal and resiliency following a crisis.”

-- Melvin Gupton, assistant professor of corporate communication

The third team is informally surveying friends, family, and peers and categorizing their thinking about the coronavirus into themes. 

Team 4 is performing an informal survey of social media. Students chose a platform and are sampling what types of ideas, memes, entries, and likes people are sharing. They are organizing their selections according to broad themes. 

The last team is examining the governmental response to the pandemic. Gupton told these students that they must "check their political views at the virtual door." 

These students are identifying the early and evolving statements from the federal government. Understanding that crises are fluid and full of uncertainty, they are tracking the responses from the federal government prior to and after the organization of the national coronavirus task force. Finally, these students will identify who is on the task force and track their recommendations in the media.  

Once all teams complete the discovery phase, they will then graduate to the next two segments, data analysis and reporting. Students will weave their findings into a single document, The Coronavirus Project: Responding in a Pandemic. It will combine their knowledge and research and present specific recommendations for future pandemic responses. 

“In addition to the threat and sometimes destruction that is inherent in a crisis, there are also opportunities for renewal and resiliency following a crisis,” Gupton said.

All teams will present their findings during the final two Zoom classes of the semester.

About Penn State Abington

Penn State Abington provides an affordable, accessible and high-impact education resulting in the success of a diverse student body. It is committed to student success through innovative approaches to 21st-century public higher education within a world-class research university. With about 3,700 students, Penn State Abington is a residential campus that offers baccalaureate degrees in 21 majors, undergraduate research, the Schreyer honors program, NCAA Division III athletics, and more

 

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State University Libraries faculty and staff are collaborating with colleagues across the University to help Penn State students and faculty access the Libraries resources they need during the coronavirus pandemic.

Now that the Libraries has closed all physical locations, students may be grappling with concerns about accessing needed research materials. Faculty, as well, are in need of assistance as they make the transition to temporary remote instruction.

To help students and faculty, the Libraries is currently providing the following support services:

Course reserves and e-resources. “We have been ordering hundreds of e-books and obtaining numerous free resources from publishers for course reserves,” said Mihoko Hosoi, associate dean for Collections, Research and Scholarly Communications. Budget Analyst and Acquisitions Supervisor Heather Benner and her monographic acquisitions team have ordered approximately 1,000 e-books and expanded streaming multimedia services, at a cost of about $150,000. As they become available, the Libraries’ web-based catalog has been updated for their online remote access, and the records have been sent to the Course Reserves unit so that the Libraries’ e-reserves system is also updated.

“Before Gov. [Tom] Wolf's decision to close all non-essential businesses, we were hard at work to provide course reserves through temporarily uploading physical resources in digital format,”  said Victoria Raish, online learning librarian with Library Learning Services. Raish, a member of the University’s COVID-19 Task Force team focusing on student support services, has been working with Chris Holobar, manager of lending and reserve services, to help faculty and students access the resources they need.

Also up until the governor’s announcement, “we were scanning portions of textbooks from local print collections, something we haven't done for 20 years,” Holobar said. “We had to stop doing that when the University and the Libraries closed to the public. However, we will check against current and available e-book licenses and request purchases if licenses are available. Instructors may also forward their own scans of materials to us for posting to e-reserves.

“We’re trying to keep current with rapidly changing developments and inform our teaching faculty about potential impacts to them as soon as possible,” he added.

Faculty may submit a request for e-reserve material at https://libraries.psu.edu/psulib_eres/eres.

Copyright support. A new web page provides instructors with guidance on negotiating copyright as they shift rapidly from in-person to remote teaching.

Copyright Officer Brandy Karl and Scholarly Communications Outreach Librarian Ana Enriquez, the faculty who comprise the Libraries’ Scholarly Communications and Copyright unit, have been helping Penn State faculty with their copyright questions, many of which are related to course reserves. Enriquez has tripled the frequency of virtual workshops related to Penn State’s open access policy and introductory copyright topics. Collections Services and Strategies Librarian Julia Proctor has been coordinating publishers’ special offers. Electronic resources specialist Jamie Jamison in the Acquisitions unit has been communicating with those vendors and activating selected resources on the Libraries’ website so those are remotely accessible by Penn State faculty and students. These activities have kept Libraries faculty and staff extremely busy since the University announced its transition to remote learning.

Support for remote teaching and learning. “Our role in the Libraries is twofold: (1) helping faculty and students access course material, and (2) integrating information literacy, which is more important than ever, into courses,” said Rebecca Waltz, head of Library Learning Services. Some of the ways the Libraries is working to support these goals include:

— A Remote Resources web page with links to sources for streaming video, databases for research, electronic journals, digital collections e-textbooks, including VitalSource, which is providing free access to seven e-textbooks per student through May 25.

— Support for library instructors as they move into remote teaching, such as weekly Instruction Cafes where they can discuss challenges and victories in the new teaching environment.

— An instructional guide for students and faculty to help them get started with e-books and other course materials, and offer guidance on searching for, accessing and using these resources.

— Guides, tutorials and digital badges on information literacy and research that instructors can integrate directly into their courses.

“Classes for resident instruction take place synchronously and need to remain so for remote teaching,” Raish added. “We are working to build a strong community around that.”

Additional University Libraries efforts

— The Strategic Technologies department provided nearly 100 all-in-one public workstations and 40 Chromebooks to Penn State Information Technology to loan to students who do not have their own computer equipment. This was done while also providing internal technology equipment and support to University Libraries employees who had to transition to remote work. “These machines will go a long way toward helping us to be able to provide students, faculty and staff with technology during this transition period,” said Dace Freivalds, the Libraries’ interim associate dean for strategic technologies.

— A new University Libraries COVID-19 web page provides information related to the Libraries’ operations and response to COVID-19, changes in hours and online resources for remote users. The page is updated as needed to provide the most current information available.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State is expanding its online portfolio of information technology degrees to help cybersecurity professionals acquire the skills needed to work in this rapidly growing industry.

Penn State is accepting applications for the bachelor of science in cybersecurity analytics and operations for admission in the fall 2020 semester, which starts in August.

The degree program is being offered online through Penn State World Campus. The core courses will be taught online by the faculty from Penn State’s College of Information Sciences and Technology.

The curriculum focuses on the skills cyber professionals need to recognize, analyze, manage and eliminate risks from a wide range of threats. The coursework builds on a foundation of mathematics and computer programming while addressing the critical areas of technical cyber defense strategies, risk management and data-driven cybersecurity analytics.

According to a report from Hiscox, a specialist insurer, 53 percent of companies experienced a cyber attack in the past year, compared with 38 percent the year before. Furthermore, 27 percent of U.S. companies experienced four or more cyber attacks in the past year, and the average attack cost $119,000, according to the report.

The number of jobs in cybersecurity is forecast to grow 32 percent through 2028, a much faster rate than the average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The bureau expects the field to add more than 35,000 new jobs.

Cybersecurity Ventures, a leading expert in the field, has predicted there could be 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs in the field by 2021, up from 1 million open positions seven years ago.

“The cybersecurity analytics and operations program at Penn State is designed to train professionals who can fill these roles and help to not only address the technical elements of cyber attacks, but also to understand how each attack could impact the organization as a whole,” said David Fusco, associate dean for graduate and undergraduate studies at the College of IST. “As technology advances rapidly and more vulnerabilities are realized, the opportunity to now offer these in-demand credentials online through Penn State World Campus will aid in enhancing the global response to cyber threats and strengthening a highly trained workforce to protect information, systems and organizations.”

The bachelor’s in cybersecurity analytics and operations consists of 126 credits with core coursework in information sciences, cybersecurity, and security and risk analysis. The requirements also include an internship and the Cybersecurity Capstone, a culminating course in which students complete a practical application.

The curriculum is based on the same degree that has been offered by the College of IST at Penn State’s University Park campus since 2017.

Joanne Peca, assistant teaching professor of information sciences and technology, said cybersecurity has not always been available as a formal academic program at many universities. For instance, she said it may have been a component of a degree program, and people with established careers in IT or security fields may lack those skills.

“We are giving those folks an opportunity to continue working in their current roles while earning a degree that can help them move into new positions,” Peca said.

The program has opportunities for students to earn credentials as they work toward the completing the bachelor’s degree. World Campus and the College of IST offer the following in IT:

•  undergraduate certificate in information science and technology
•  undergraduate certificate in security and risk analysis
•  associate in science in IST

Many of the credits from these certificates and programs may be applied to the requirements for the bachelor’s degree.

Visit the Penn State World Campus website for more information about the bachelor’s in cybersecurity degree. 

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — As part of Penn State’s 2020 spring commencement activities, 24 students will represent the College of the Liberal Arts as student marshals.

In response to the growing coronavirus pandemic, orders from the state government and recommendations from global public health organizations, Penn State will hold its spring 2020 commencement ceremony via livestream on May 9. The virtual ceremony will recognize all Penn State undergraduate students and all graduate students in the Penn State Graduate School.

Student marshals are chosen to represent the college on the basis of outstanding academic achievement and their contributions to liberal arts student life. The college and its units will recognize the marshals in the college's commencement program and plan to honor their accomplishments in various ways in the upcoming year.

Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar Awaly Diallo is the college student marshal. Her faculty marshal is Molly Martin, associate professor of sociology and demography. Diallo is the daughter of Fatimata Ly of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is graduating with bachelor of arts degrees in sociology and African American studies. Diallo was recognized as a Liberal Arts Change Maker for serving as the executive director of the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Student Committee and for her legal internships at the Northeastern School of Law's Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Project and the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia. She studied abroad in Curaçao and was recognized as a Rock Ethics Institute Stand Up Award winner. After graduation, Diallo plans to work and volunteer with human rights organizations before attending law school.

Keep reading to learn more about the student marshals selected to represent the College of the Liberal Arts.

AFRICAN STUDIES

Noelia Ortiz-Landazabal is the daughter of Marie-Dominique and Francisco Ortiz-Landazabal of Wayne, Pennsylvania. A Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar, she is graduating with bachelor of arts degrees in African studies and political science and a minor in women’s studies. Ortiz-Landazabal was recognized as a Liberal Arts Change Maker for founding Days for Girls at Penn State, an organization that engages communities to empower and break down barriers for women and girls worldwide through sustainable menstrual care and health education. After graduation, Ortiz-Landazabal will join Ernst & Young in Washington, D.C., as a performance improvement analyst.

ANTHROPOLOGY

Audrey Arner is the daughter of Maria and Shawn Arner of Stafford, Virginia. A Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar, she is graduating with bachelor of science degrees in biological anthropology and biology. She was a member of the Presidential Leadership Academy and the fourth cohort of Millennium Scholars and conducted research in the Perry Anthropological Genomics Lab at Penn State. Arner participated in research experiences at the University of Tübingen and Kansas State University and studied abroad in Tanzania and Costa Rica. After graduation, Arner plans to work as a research technician before pursuing a doctoral degree in anthropology.

ASIAN STUDIES

Aimee Pizarchik is the daughter of Lisa and Rainer Pizarchik of Apollo, Pennsylvania. A Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar, she is graduating with bachelor of arts degrees in Asian studies and Chinese as well as a bachelor of science degree in security and risk analysis. Pizarchik was a Chapel Executive Intern and worked for University Libraries; she was also a resident assistant for the Information Sciences and Technology Special Living Option. Pizarchik completed an intensive language program in Kunming, China, and served as a cultural ambassador for the Penn State-Nanjing Exchange Program. Next year, Pizarchik will attend the University of Chicago to pursue a doctoral degree in history.

CLASSICS AND ANCIENT MEDITERRANEAN STUDIES

Charissa Skoutelas is the daughter of Daphne Skoutelas of Glen Mills, Pennsylvania. A Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar, she is graduating with a bachelor of arts degree in Classics and ancient Mediterranean studies and a bachelor of science degree in global and international studies, with minors in Greek, geography, and religious studies. She was a peer adviser in the Education Abroad Office and studied abroad in Athens, Greece. Skoutelas interned with the Brandywine River Museum of Art and the Museum Collections at the Chester County Historical Society. She was also a member of the Pride of the Lions Pep Band. After graduation, Skoutelas plans to pursue a master’s degree in Classics.

COMMUNICATION ARTS AND SCIENCES

Daniel Zahn is the son of Bruce and Alicia Zahn of Allentown, Pennsylvania. A Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar, he is graduating with bachelor of arts degrees in communication arts and sciences, English, and philosophy, and minors in French, history, rhetoric, Jewish studies, and linguistics. He was recognized as a Liberal Arts Change Maker for co-founding Future Opportunities Reached by Mentorship Consulting. Zahn was a member of the Presidential Leadership Academy and also served as president and captain of the Penn State Mock Trial Association. He interned with the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, completed research in Benin, and studied abroad in London, England; Dublin, Ireland; and Besançon, France. After graduation, Zahn will attend law school or participate in a Fulbright Fellowship.

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE

Siobhan Leonard is the daughter of Sue Doney and Edward Leonard of Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. A Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar, she is graduating with bachelor of arts degrees in comparative literature and global and international studies. She served as a teaching assistant for an environmental science course and studied abroad in Dublin, Ireland, and Nanjing, China. Leonard interned with Hanbidge Law, Pennsylvania State Representative Elizabeth Hanbidge, and the Eastern European Centre for Multiparty Democracy. She is also a member of the Dressage Club. In the fall, Leonard will pursue a master’s degree at New York University.

CRIMINOLOGY

Erin Doolin is the daughter of Bridget and Todd Doolin of Orange County, California. A Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar, she is graduating with bachelor of arts degrees in criminology and political science and a minor in Spanish. She was captain and public relations chair for the Penn State Mock Trial Association and president of Planned Parenthood Generation Action at Penn State. Doolin studied abroad in London and Madrid; she also interned with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C., and the Penn State Justice and Safety Institute. After graduation, Doolin plans to work for the federal government in Washington, D.C.

ECONOMICS

Evan Toomey is the son of Paula and David Toomey of Millersville, Pennsylvania. A Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar, he is graduating with bachelor of science degrees in economics and finance. Toomey was president of the Penn State Economics Association and a teaching assistant for the Department of Economics. He interned with Vanguard and Emerald Asset Management, and he was one of four students selected to represent Penn State at the Rotman International Trading Competition at the University of Toronto. After graduation, Toomey will work as a data service analyst at BlackRock in Wilmington, Delaware.

ENGLISH

Caitlin Conway is the daughter of Karen and James Conway of Clarence Center, New York. A Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar, she is graduating with bachelor of arts degrees in English and political science. Conway was a team captain for the Penn State Mock Trial Association and interned with the Penn State Committee for Early Modern Studies, the Family Justice Center in Buffalo, New York, and the Honorable Amy Martoche of the Buffalo City Court. After graduation, Conway plans to attend law school.

FRENCH AND FRANCOPHONE STUDIES

Loren Baseler is the daughter of Heather and Curtis Hamelly of Grove City, Pennsylvania. A Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar, she is graduating with bachelor of arts degrees in French and francophone studies and English. Baseler was the editor-in-chief of the literary magazine ABSENCE at Penn State Greater Allegheny. She interned with the American Shakespeare Center and studied abroad in Montpellier, France, taking classes at the Université Paul Valéry. After graduation, Baseler hopes to serve as an English teaching assistant and cultural ambassador through the French government’s Teaching Assistant Program in France.

GERMANIC AND SLAVIC LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES

Maria Badanova is the daughter of Olga Badanova and Dmitry Zhmurkin of Boise, Idaho. A Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar, she is graduating with bachelor of arts degrees in Russian and psychology. Badanova served as secretary and vice president of the Russian Club and co-authored a book of translated prose and poetry with Dr. Michael Naydan. She was a research assistant in the Penn State Language and Aging Lab and completed research in Krakow, Poland, and Tübingen, Germany. In the fall, Badanova will pursue a doctoral degree at the Max Planck School of Cognition in Berlin, Germany. 

GLOBAL AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

Erin Baumgartner is the daughter of Lisa and Hans Baumgartner of State College, Pennsylvania. A Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar, she is graduating with bachelor of arts degrees in global and international studies and international politics, with minors in Spanish and German. Baumgartner had the opportunity to study abroad in both Spain and Chile and participated in the Penn State UNESCO Youth as Researchers Program. She also participated in Outdoor School through Shaver's Creek Environmental Center. After graduation, Baumgartner hopes to pursue opportunities related to social justice and nonprofit work in the D.C. area.

HISTORY

Aileen McKinstry is the daughter of Susan Troiler-McKinstry and Herb McKinstry of State College, Pennsylvania. A Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar, she is graduating with bachelor of arts degrees in history and English and a minor in music performance. McKinstry was a member of the Penn State Philharmonic and Concert Choir. She studied abroad in London and worked as a writing tutor at the Penn State Learning Center. In the fall, McKinstry will pursue her master’s degree in American history.

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Panini Pandya is the daughter of Darshini and Chaitanya Pandya of Allentown, Pennsylvania. A Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar, she is graduating with bachelor of arts degrees in international politics, Spanish, and history and a minor in geography. Pandya was a coder for the McCourtney Institute for Democracy, as well as the 2019 Donor and Alumni Relations Chair for Springfield Benefiting THON. After serving on the executive board of State of State for three years, she became its executive director for 2020. After graduation, Pandya will complete a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Fellowship in Colombia.

LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS

Cory Steinle is the son of Leanne and Brett Steinle of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. A Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar, he is graduating with bachelor of science degrees in labor and employment relations and communication arts and sciences, a master of science degree in human resources and employee relations, and minors in business and the liberal arts and English. In addition to being a member of the Presidential Leadership Academy, Steinle was a graduate teaching fellow and a research assistant. He traveled to six different countries throughout his college experience. After graduation, Steinle will join Deloitte as a human capital analyst in Rosslyn, Virginia.

PHILOSOPHY

David Witmer is the son of Mark and Cindy Witmer of Ephrata, Pennsylvania. He is graduating with a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy and minors in Jewish studies, English, and religious studies. Prior to Penn State, Witmer was an electronics maintenance technician with the U.S. Marine Corps. As a student, he worked for the Penn State Office of Veterans Programs. He was a mentor for Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Novel Club at Penn State. Witmer participated in the Penn State Choir and Campus Choir and volunteered with Out in the Cold Homeless Ministry and the Altoona VA Medical Center. After graduation, Witmer will work for Target as an executive team leader.

POLITICAL SCIENCE

Andrew Bernstein is the son of Karen and Mark Bernstein of Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. A Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar, he is graduating with bachelor of arts degrees in political science and Spanish and a minor in economics. Bernstein served as an executive board member for Penn State Alternative Breaks and studied abroad in Santiago, Chile. He also interned at the Centre County Public Defender’s Office, focusing on child welfare law. After graduation, Bernstein will attend law school seeking a career in the public interest.

PSYCHOLOGY

Lena Becker is the daughter of Regina and Michael Becker of Elysburg, Pennsylvania. A Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar, she is graduating with a bachelor of science degree in psychology and a bachelor of arts degree in Spanish. Becker was a lab manager and clinical interviewer for the Personality, Psychopathology, and Psychotherapy Lab and studied abroad in Puebla, Mexico. She interned with the Yale-New Haven Hospital Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology. In addition, she volunteered with Centre County PAWS. After graduation, Becker will be a researcher and diagnostician at Brown University’s Medical School.

ROTC

August Pasquale is the son of August and Lori Pasquale of Severna Park, Maryland. He is graduating with a bachelor of arts degree in political science and a bachelor of science degree in finance. Pasquale studied abroad in Italy and England; he also interned with U.S. Representative Andy Harris and with Northrop Grumman, an aerospace and defense company. Pasquale was a flight commander in the Air Force ROTC at Penn State and a reporter for The Daily Collegian. After graduation, Pasquale will serve as an acquisitions officer in the United States Air Force.

SOCIOLOGY

Leah DeLancey is the daughter of Douglas and Toni DeLancey of Arlington, Virginia. She is graduating with bachelor of arts degrees in sociology and political science. DeLancey was a teaching assistant and undergraduate research assistant in the college. She also was a Panhellenic recruitment counselor and the policy and standards board chair for Pi Beta Phi. DeLancey interned with the Student Engagement Network, the U.S. House of Representatives, and Huntington Ingalls Industries. After graduation, DeLancey plans to work in politics in Washington, D.C., before pursuing a master’s degree in national defense.

SPANISH, ITALIAN, AND PORTUGUESE

Christopher Abraham is the son of Lori and Todd Abraham of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar, he is graduating with bachelor of arts degrees in Spanish and English. Abraham was the president of the Spanish Immersion Club and earned his Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages certificate from Penn State while studying abroad in Ecuador. He volunteered with Young Life. After graduation, Abraham will serve as a literacy coordinator in the Dominican Republic through the Peace Corps.

WOMEN’S, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY STUDIES

Clara Miller is the daughter of Julie and Michael Miller of Tully, New York. She is graduating with a bachelor of science degree in women’s studies and a minor in plant pathology. She was the service chair for Triota and the president of the Blooms and Shrooms Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology organization. Miller was also an undergraduate researcher for the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and the College of Agricultural Sciences. After graduation, Miller will work in disability support services while applying to graduate school.

WORLD CAMPUS

Matt Solovey is the husband of Jade Kelly Solovey and the father of Jayden Solovey and Arianna Miletta. He is graduating with a bachelor of science degree in organizational leadership. Solovey is an experienced communications professional, writer, and editor in healthcare, academia, and print journalism. He is currently the director of communication for the Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute. Through World Campus, Solovey was a student ambassador and smart track student mentor. He also participated in a summer leadership conference on behalf of World Campus.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a shutdown of most libraries nationwide, making their physical collections and resources largely inaccessible. In response, many libraries, including Penn State University Libraries, have increased their efforts to make their digital collections as visible and accessible as possible. These temporary resources are in addition to digital licenses the Libraries continues to purchase and add into its online catalog to support remote teaching and learning.

HathiTrust Emergency Temporary Access Service 

Penn State faculty, staff, and students now have reading access to more than 48% of the Libraries’ print collections through the HathiTrust Emergency Temporary Access Service (ETAS). Once logged in at www.hathitrust.org, Penn State users can access the entire public domain corpus and temporarily have limited access to in-copyright and copyright-undetermined volumes held by the Libraries. To get started, visit: https://www.hathitrust.org/ETAS-User-Information

National Emergency Library (Internet Archive)

Penn State and other libraries supported the Internet Archive’s application of the Fair Use doctrine to eliminate waitlists for the books it lends to users through the latter of June 30, or the end of the COVID-19 national emergency. The collection includes more than 1.4 million e-books from the 1920s through the 1990s that represent the interests of both academic and public library patrons. Anyone can set up an account and borrow for free for 14 days. For more information, visit: http://blog.archive.org/2020/03/24/announcing-a-national-emergency-library-to-provide-digitized-books-to-students-and-the-public/

Open Access (OA) Collections

The Libraries’ Cataloging and Metadata Services department has been working assiduously to increase the visibility and discoverability of Open Access (OA), or free-to-read, collections via the Libraries website. More than 15,000 records for OA content have been loaded over the past few months in anticipation of the need for free, open access to scholarly materials, said Jeff Edmunds, digital access coordinator. “Penn State has been on the cutting edge of making library assets as available as possible, especially now that our physical collections are largely inaccessible,” he added. 

Temporary and expanded access to vendor and publisher resources

In response to the increased need for electronic content to support teaching and research, the Libraries is taking advantage of select offers from vendors and publishers for free temporary access to resources. Resources that have been added to library collections on a temporary basis include scholarly and research publications and journal content, textbooks, e-books, video, audio, PDFs and tools for teaching and curriculum planning in a wide range of disciplines.

HAZLETON, Pa. – Hazleton native Megan Bobish has joined the Penn State Hazleton Athletics Department as the newest member of its team.

Bobish will be tasked with caring for student-athletes as an athletic trainer. Bobish, who grew up in Hazleton, began her new role on campus on April 6.

“We are pleased to welcome Megan to our campus and look forward to her working with our athletes,” Chancellor Gary M. Lawler said. “She brings a strong background in physical therapy and training and will be a great asset to our students.”

Bobish said sports have played an important role in her life ever since her early days playing youth soccer, and she is very excited to begin her career in the field of athletics.

“I’ve learned so many great lessons from being an athlete and working with them,” Bobish said. “From gaining discipline and respect for others to learning from our failures and picking ourselves back up. I hope to build on these and help impart them on our students as the new athletic trainer.” 

Bobish recently earned her bachelor of science degree in athletic training at Temple University in Philadelphia.

While at Temple, Bobish earned high marks and gained valuable experience evaluating and treating injuries with the Owls' women’s lacrosse team. She also gained knowledge with stops at the University of Pennsylvania, Delaware Valley University and William Penn Charter School.

After graduating from Temple, Bobish sought a return to the Hazleton area to make an impact on her local community. She began that effort working as a physical therapy aide at Pro Rehabilitation Services in Hazleton, where she assisted with treatment and rehabilitation programs for patients while maintaining the day-to-day setup of the clinic.

“The well-being of our student-athletes is our highest priority and Megan will be a great asset in maintaining that focus, by providing excellent preventative and rehabilitation services for the student-athletes on campus,” said Director of Athletics Patrice Lombard. “She is very passionate about her work, as well as our community, and we’re thrilled to welcome her to our Athletics staff.”

Bobish is eager to get started in her new position and is looking forward to a return to normalcy in the sporting world.

As the athletic trainer, Bobish will be responsible for working with Hazleton’s eight intercollegiate athletic programs and creating a safe and positive playing environment for more than 100 student-athletes at the campus.

“It’s very important to me to engage the student-athletes to be proactive in the prevention of and rehabilitation from injury,” Bobish said. “I always keep in mind that behind the athlete or the injury is a person, and if I can be there for them in more ways than one, I know we’ll be on our way to achieving our goals."

WYOMISSING, Pa. — Since March 16, Alanna Billy of East Earl, Pennsylvania, has started most days sitting at her laptop, taking Penn State Berks courses remotely. The first-year kinesiology major completes all her coursework in the morning and has the afternoon free for studying or spending time with friends and family.

“So far I have made an easy transition into remote learning,” states Billy. “All my professors have been so encouraging: They understand that we all have a lot of worries on our plates right now. I think that Penn State Berks faculty members have strategically taken measures throughout this pandemic and are trying to make things as easy for students as possible.”

When Penn State Berks transitioned to remote teaching on March 16 — along with all the other Penn State campuses — in response to the global coronavirus pandemic, many students and some faculty members had concerns about remote course delivery and losing the personal connections of the classroom. Despite some initial trepidation, faculty members who were novices to remote teaching were up and running with their course delivery within a matter of days of the announcement, thanks to some assistance from fellow professors and staff.

Lending a helping hand

One professor who offered personal assistance to fellow faculty members is Dawn Pfeifer Reitz, lecturer in communication arts and sciences. She explained that she had been thinking about what she needed to do to prepare for remote delivery of her courses before the announcement was made and she was in a good place to manage the transition.

Pfeifer Reitz knew that some of her faculty colleagues, as well as students, were not as comfortable with remote teaching and learning, so she created two blogs with many resources that both professors and students need to succeed. Pfeifer Reitz’s personal blog began with one post to assist faculty in giving online lectures, and morphed into a valuable resource for both faculty and students, with ideas for remote testing, and information to help students become better learners and professors to become better teachers.

After the first week of remote learning, in response to students’ questions and concerns, she created the Penn State Berks Remote Learning blog in collaboration with Sonia Delaquito, coordinator of the Learning Center. It contains articles about time management, motivation, setting boundaries and much more. 

Luis Aponte, of Hamburg, Pennsylvania, a first-year student majoring in electrical engineering, was one of many students who had some concerns about remote learning.

“This experience is unlike any other and it hasn't been the easiest for students, parents or professors. My remote learning experience has been quite a change and I've had to adapt but it has been good," he said. "Professors have been very understanding: They understand that these are tough, stressful times for all of us and that we need time to take care of ourselves mentally and emotionally."

He added, “I like using Zoom for classes; an online Zoom class allows me to ask questions in the moment rather than through email.”

Pfeifer Reitz reached out to the college’s academic division heads and offered to assist any faculty members who were struggling with remote teaching. Several accepted her offer.

Carl Mann, an adjunct professor who teaches public speaking, recounted, “Dawn figuratively held my hand through the transition. I’m old school — nothing is electronic in my classroom. Dawn pointed me to a lot of resources on campus — She connected me with Mary Ann Mengel, instructional multimedia designer, who gave me a personal tutoring session on Zoom, and Red [Hongyan Yuan], instructional designer in the Center for Learning and Teaching, who helped me insert a test in Blackboard. The Information Technology department even lent me a laptop.”

“I still prefer teaching in the classroom but I’m functioning,” Mann said, laughing.

Finally, Pfeifer Reitz worked with the Berks Teaching and Learning with Technology group, a faculty learning community that is sponsored by Penn State Teaching and Learning with Technology. The Berks group meets and discusses topics such as innovative instruction technology and how to manage online tests. In addition, faculty members have an opportunity to share success stories with one another.

The college also has two incredible resources that made the transition easier for faculty and students: The Center for Learning and Teaching Technology and the Information Technology department. The center held multiple training sessions for faculty before the transition and these workshops continue. The Information Technology department has ensured that all faculty and students have the resources that they needed to complete the semester.

“The levels of creativity, cooperation, and resilience that I have witnessed over the past month on behalf of our students, faculty and staff have been truly remarkable and attest to the quality of people who serve Penn State Berks and Penn State University.”

— Penn State Berks Chancellor R. Keith Hillkirk

Penn State Berks Chancellor R. Keith Hillkirk expressed pride at the spirit of collaboration on campus. “The levels of creativity, cooperation,and resilience that I have witnessed over the past month on behalf of our students, faculty and staff have been truly remarkable and attest to the quality of people who serve Penn State Berks and the University," he said.

Student success

When Penn State extended remote teaching through the end of the spring semester due to growing federal and state regulations concerning the coronavirus pandemic, most students reported that they were confident in remote learning.

There are many student success stories. Patrick Scanlon, Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, a senior with a dual major in information sciences and technology and security and risk analysis, explained, “Most of our IST assignments are group projects so we've been using various applications for team communication. We use apps like Zoom, Discord, and Microsoft Teams. The professors have been very helpful and accommodating to our needs. Overall [remote learning has] been a positive experience."

Chandler Alenovitz, of New Holland, Pennsylvania, a first-year student majoring in business management and marketing, summarized his experience.

“The transition into remote learning has been nothing but positive for me so far. All my professors are working with me to help me succeed the best way I can. Honestly, I thought it was going to be a rough experience, but everything worked out well," said Alenovitz.

In addition to faculty teaching and remote learning being up to speed, academic support is available to students through both the Writing Center and the Learning Center. Both offer online tutoring by appointment. Students can schedule online appointments with their academic advisers via Zoom. In fact, all the college’s offices and centers are available online and staff members can be contacted via phone or email. For a complete listing of resources for students, visit https://berks.psu.edu/covid-19.

Designing the Future

Marietta Scanlon is one of many faculty members who has converted her dining room into an online classroom, and she hasn’t missed a beat. The assistant teaching professor of engineering and program chair for electro-mechanical engineering technology talked about the engineering design course that she is teaching this semester.

“For my EDSGN 100 class, prior to switching to remote learning, Professor Ed Sauer and I were doing a Learning Factory project with the students for Boeing. Needless to say, that project could not continue," said Scanlon. "We switched gears and the students spent two weeks working through a virtual design project for Boeing instead. The teams presented their designs to a Boeing engineer via Zoom earlier this week.”

For their next project, Scanlon and Sauer’s students will "Hack the Pandemic."

“In class, we have talked about things that have been affected by the pandemic. Their assignment is to individually brainstorm possible problems and solutions," said Scanlon. "Then, in teams, they will continue to brainstorm, as well as design and create a digital prototype of their solutions. We've taken advantage of the Zoom breakout rooms to have team meetings and screen sharing so the students can present their work to the class.”  

Many faculty members who use special software in their courses, such as engineering, have worked with the Information Technology Department to make that software available to students remotely. In addition, faculty deliver all courses synchronously, meaning they were held on the same date and time originally scheduled to avoid potential issues for students such as loss of financial aid and time conflicts. 

When asked what her hopes were for future remote course delivery, Pfeifer Reitz stated, “I hope this experience opens up awareness to online pedagogy.

“More importantly, it gives us an opportunity to teach students to be resilient and to roll with the punches," she added.

A valuable life lesson indeed.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Students in Penn State’s College of Nursing typically work on lifelike manikins and in clinical settings to learn how to deliver professional nursing care to patients. But with Penn State shifting to a remote learning environment for the remainder of the spring semester, some students are now using a web-based tutor to learn how to provide trauma care through a series of virtual simulations.

The tutor — called the Virtual Intelligent Tutor for the Andragogy of Military Medicine INtegrated Skills, or VITAMMINS — is an intelligent tutoring system designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of medical training. It was created by researchers in the College of Information Sciences and Technology, College of Nursing, and Charles River Analytics, and its rollout is just one example of how the College of Nursing is adapting to provide simulation and clinical experiences in a virtual environment.

“At first glance, the tutor appears to be just a series of webpages or slides in an online module,” explained Frank Ritter, professor of IST and principal investigator on the VITAMMINS project. “But by including questions based on video demonstrations, detailed photos, and real-world scenarios, students are applying their knowledge and understanding the work of trauma nurses, even if that’s not their ultimate career goal.”

Originally designed for military nursing trauma training, the tutor helped to bridge the gap between traditional lecture-based education and hands-on experiences that are difficult to replicate virtually, such as trauma nursing training.

When the novel coronavirus pandemic forced many facilities to cancel their student clinical experiences, the research team expedited the release of the nursing tutor, which was already in development. Now, it has been adapted to the College of Nursing’s senior-level advanced medical-surgical course for clinical instruction.

“The tutor is valuable because it provides our students with clinically relevant exposure to concepts that they have limited exposure to in the actual clinical setting,” said Chris Garrison, director of simulation in the College of Nursing and a co-investigator on the VITAMMINS project. “We plan to use the tutor as part of a research study with nursing students next academic year and are exploring how it might be further incorporated into our curriculum to support trauma care learning objectives.”

In the scenarios, students learn to prioritize and apply medical assessments and interventions to a variety of trauma cases using the (C)ABCDE approach, which calls for the analysis of the patient’s catastrophic hemorrhage, airway, breathing, circulation, disability, and exposure to address life-threatening problems before providing additional care. The scenarios are demonstrated through a variety of media that engage the students with what they’d find in a clinical setting.

“The foundation of our work has been focused on understanding how declarative knowledge — knowledge about facts and things — turns into procedural knowledge — knowledge about putting information into action,” said Ritter. “We wanted to turn this theory into something that could be deployed into real-world scenarios, particularly those that are hard to replicate until they actually happen.”

VITAMMINS builds on Ritter and Garrison’s past research with each other and Charles River Analytics, which included working with the Marine Corps to build a combat life-saving tutor and a software manikin that provided realistic responses to care. Then, with support from the Air Force Research Lab, the tutor was adapted to focus on nursing in a noncombat setting.

Added Ritter, “Students are getting the same information as they would on campus, but rather than reading it in a textbook, they’re applying what they know to a series of scenarios and building skills that advances them toward a professional certification and, ultimately, will translate to their career.”

The group’s work was supported by Charles River Analytics, the Air Force Research Lab, and the Office of Naval Research.

Other collaborators on the project include College of Nursing undergraduate students Alexis Fenstermacher and Nicholas Phillips; College of IST doctoral student Jake Oury; James Niehaus, senior scientist at Charles River Analytics; and Peter Weyhrauch, vice president, Human Effectiveness Division at Charles River Analytics.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — "How can I help?"

It was the first thought that popped into Mohamed Mory Diané’s head when the COVID-19 pandemic swept into the United States. Entrepreneurial by nature, Mory had a few ideas.

Correction: Mory had a lot of ideas.

“At first I thought of different ways to raise money to help, then I thought about manufacturing personal protective equipment (PPE), and then I began wondering if I could partner with someone to develop a home virus test kit,” says Mory, a 2007 Penn State civil engineering graduate who is currently enrolled in the Penn State Online MBA Program led by the Smeal College of Business and delivered by Penn State World Campus. “Unfortunately, I did not have the knowledge base or the capital to pursue those ideas.”

His thoughts returned to PPE, however – specifically, facemasks. As the founder of a start-up company in the 3D printer additive manufacturing space, Mory has many contacts with factories in China. When that country’s economy began reopening after its battle with coronavirus, he started to receive emails from his Chinese suppliers.      

“They told me they were making masks now and asked if I needed any,” Mory says. “I knew that medical workers in the U.S. were reusing masks or even using bandanas. I decided not to sit and watch but instead bridge this gap and connect medical facilities and individuals directly to the manufacturers.”

The ball in Mory’s head began rolling.

"I’m doing what I can... If everyone does a little, it adds up to a lot.”

-Mohamed Mory Diané, Penn State graduate and Online MBA student

An Entrepreneurial Spirit

A native of the West African country of Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Mory emigrated to the U.S. with his family when he was 15. At Penn State, he was a civil engineering major and a national champion boxer his senior year. The tenacity and drive required for such a feat has carried into his post-college life, as have two Penn State Values: responsibility and community.

After moving around the country due to his line of work, Mory landed in Arizona where he currently works for Arizona Public Service as a Senior Regulatory Affairs Consultant at the Palo Verde nuclear power plant. He founded his start-up company on the side, which gave him the connections in China to launch KORVEX, a new company that is serving as a bridge between Chinese factories making facemasks and U.S. medical personnel who need them.

“I wanted a company name that sounded medical, but I also grew up on Japanese anime and American comic books, so the name is based on Superman’s father’s birth name, which is Cor-Vex. I just respelled it,” he says with a laugh.     

Things moved quickly. Within a week of having the idea, Mory had a website up and running.

“I’ve been communicating with the suppliers in China and negotiating with them to get quality products for the best price,” he says. “I picked some N95 masks from select factories and carefully verified the U.S. FDA and NIOSH certification of the manufacturers, because only those masks are officially approved for use in hospitals. I’m also focusing on getting them shipped express for free.”

One of Mory’s sounding boards throughout the process was Smeal’s Shawn Clark, the Michael J. Farrell Endowed Professor for Entrepreneurship. Clark teaches the Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship course Mory is currently taking through the Online MBA Program. The course curriculum is like nectar to a bee for Mory, creating the ideal environment for him to strengthen his entrepreneurial skills and take on this ambitious venture.

“One of our early topics in class was how to identify niches, gaps or opportunities where a start-up can play a role,” Clark says. “In fact, one of the exercises was problem identification – look for a problem and then figure out a solution. Mory has done exactly that with KORVEX.”

 “Over the course of several weeks,” Clark continues, “Mory emailed me a series of business ideas, which was fascinating because usually someone will have a single passion and keep working on it but Mory’s ideas were serial and differentiated. The next thing I know he’s asking me to review his website and using his Chinese contacts to buy masks. In our current world situation, he recognized quickly that there was an opportunity for him to help.”   

“Dr. Clark was very supportive of what I was doing,” Mory says. “I consulted with him often as I was working through my ideas and eventually landed on KORVEX. He gave me great feedback throughout.”

An Idea Takes Flight

While most start-up businesses take months or even years to ramp up, Mory compressed his timeline into mere weeks with KORVEX.

“We’ve already taken several orders that are currently in transit or being processed for shipment,” he says. “The orders are mostly from individuals so far, but we were just invited to become part of [an] exclusive PPE distributor list. Hopefully this will allow us to reach larger organizations and hospitals. I’m also spreading the word about the website through Facebook, LinkedIn and Nextdoor.”

Mory doesn’t hesitate when asked why he took on this endeavor on top of a full-time job, another start-up company, and his Penn State Online MBA classes.

“This project meant taking on extra work, but it’s worth it because we are in a crisis. I know I’m not Bill Gates, who has put millions of dollars toward the effort, but I’m doing what I can. Doing nothing would be turning a blind eye to a serious situation. 

“We are living through a time that will be remembered for ages to come, but I’m confident that something good will come out of it,” he adds. “If everyone does a little, it adds up to a lot.”

The “We Are” spirit is perhaps more important than ever before, and Penn Staters everywhere are coming together in new and amazing ways. During these challenging times, our community is continuing to realize Penn State’s commitment to excellence through acts of collaboration, thoughtfulness and kindness. As President Eric Barron has written on Digging Deeper, this truly is a “We Are” moment — and we want to hear your “We Are” stories.

Visit news.psu.edu/WeAre to share how you or other Penn Staters are supporting each other to overcome the collective challenges presented by novel coronavirus. We are!

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — As part of Penn State’s 2020 spring commencement activities, Awaly Diallo will represent the College of the Liberal Arts as college marshal.

In response to the growing coronavirus pandemic, orders from the state government and recommendations from global public health organizations, Penn State will hold its spring 2020 commencement ceremony via livestream on May 9. The virtual ceremony will recognize all Penn State undergraduate students and all graduate students in the Penn State Graduate School.

Diallo, a Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar, will graduate with bachelor of arts degrees in sociology and African American studies. Her faculty marshal is Molly Martin, associate professor of sociology and demography.

During her time at Penn State, Diallo has made a substantial impact. As the executive director of the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Student Committee, she was passionate about inspiring social justice across the University Park campus. Awaly noted the importance of having a strong support network. She said, “With everything that I do in my life, I am surrounded by encouraging and empowering black women and girls. From my family, to my sorority sisters, to my professors, to the planning committee, I am surrounded by caring, encouraging and empowering black women.”

Diallo’s passion for social justice doesn’t end there. Early in her Penn State career, she served as the student chair for the Black Women’s Initiative, where she helped organize discussions and worked towards retention of Black female students. She was also vice president of Penn State’s Writers Organized to Represent Diverse Stories (W.O.R.D.S) student organization. The group’s mission is to create a safe place for members to share their stories with identity politics and spread self love.

Continuing with the theme of social justice, Diallo was a legal intern at the Northeastern School of Law's Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Project (CCRJ) and the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia. The CRRJ investigates cold cases involving racially motivated homicides that occurred between 1930 and 1970. The project works to uncover what happened to the victims, tell their stories, and try to provide closure to the affected families and communities through restorative justice.

“Their experiences were not only full of determination to bring justice to the families of the victims but to utilize the research in the CRRJ for contemporary issues," said Diallo. "The parallels captivated my interest for my current research but also for my future goals.”

Because of her role as executive director of the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Student Committee, as well as her internships, Diallo was recognized as a Liberal Arts Change Maker. As a Change Maker, her goal is to “inspire students to seek justice by any means necessary and to change the world.” 

Diallo was also recognized as a Rock Ethics Institute Stand Up Award winner, which is awarded to students who demonstrate ethical leadership by standing up for a cause, idea, or belief. Unsurprisingly, Diallo was recognized for standing up for social justice and reconciliation.

Topping off Diallo’s impressive list of activities is her study abroad experience in Curaçao, where she had the unique opportunity to explore the similarities and differences between structures of race, crime, and justice in Curaçao and the United States. She also learned about the Atlantic slave trade and European influences of Curaçao’s socio-political symptoms.

Reflecting on her time as a Penn State student, Diallo attributes her confidence in her future to her liberal arts education. “My liberal arts education gave me a keen understanding of how to see society through a world perspective. I have the necessary tools to tackle social problems and make an impact on people all over the world,” she said.

After graduation, Diallo plans to work and volunteer with various human rights organizations before attending law school to become a civil rights lawyer. One of her professional goals is to “utilize legal research to produce equitable public policy for marginalized groups of people.”

To first-year Liberal Arts students, Diallo offered the following advice. “Immerse yourself in everything the College of the Liberal Arts has to offer because there are so many opportunities to explore your purpose and create your own journey. It is okay to need help or guidance, and there are a multitude of resources that can lead you in the right path.”

This is the second in a series of stories on the 24 student marshals representing the College of the Liberal Arts during the spring 2020 commencement activities.