| SPRING 2003... |
COLLEGE NEWS
'BREAK THE SILENCE' VIDEO CAPTURES NATIONAL AWARD
Penn State Altoona's "Break the Silence" video – aimed at making students more aware of the issues of sexual harassment, assault, and relationship violence – won an Award of Distinction in The Communicator Awards 2002 video competition. This award is given for projects that exceed industry standards in production or communication skills. The video features student peer advisors speaking candidly about this often "hush-hush" topic. Male and female students were selected for on-camera interviews regarding their thoughts on relationship and violence issues. The students gave unrehearsed answers and helped contribute toward a final video project that is honest, straightforward, and thought provoking. The video is shown to first-year Penn State Altoona students and was produced by Blackbird Media Group, Inc., of State College. For more information, visit http://www.altoona.psu.edu/ur/releases/2003/01_09_03.htm
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STUDENTS INDUCTED INTO NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY
Seventeen students were inducted into Kappa Omicron Nu, the national honor society in the family and consumer sciences, this past semester. The mission of Kappa Omicron Nu is to promote empowered leaders through scholarship, research, and leadership development. Eligible students must demonstrate high level academic achievement; at Penn State Altoona, it is required that students have completed 45 or more credits toward a baccalaureate degree with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5. "The faculty of the human development and family studies program has established a Penn State Altoona chapter of Kappa Omicron Nu to formally recognize the accomplishments of our best students and to involve them in leadership opportunities during their education. It is a way for us to communicate higher expectations, and it marks a significant step in our constant efforts to strengthen our programs and better serve students," said Dr. Lori Bechtel, Head, Division of Education, Human Development, and Social Sciences at Penn State Altoona.
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COLLEGE OFFERS NEW DEGREES IN PSYCHOLOGY AND ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
Beginning with the fall 2003 semester, students can enroll in one of the College's newest degree programs: the bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degrees in psychology, or the bachelor of science degree in elementary education. "Psychology is a popular major at the University overall, and local surveys and market assessments showed us that it would be a popular major at Penn State Altoona, as well as a field that occupational projections show will be experiencing growth locally and statewide," said Valerie Stratton, program coordinator and associate professor of psychology. The program will help prepare students to work in human service agencies, industrial settings, laboratories, or continue their training in graduate or professional studies, such as medical or law school.
For a number of years, the College has offered the first three years of elementary education and, beginning fall 2003, students will be able to complete their elementary education degree at Penn State Altoona. The bachelor of science degree in elementary education prepares students for teaching careers and offers an elementary teaching option.
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COLLEGE JOINS IN WORLDWIDE 'READ FOR 2003' EVENT
Penn State Altoona took part in a worldwide reading event this past semester as it joined in celebration of Scholastic's Fourth Annual Global Literacy Initiative. Known as "Read For 2003," the fourth annual global reading celebration created by Scholastic Book Clubs helps unite kids, teachers and parents worldwide through the joy of reading. Millions of students from around the world read for 2003 seconds (or about 33 1/3 minutes). Students, faculty, staff and guests from Penn State Altoona also read to area children at noon in the Community Arts Center in celebration of the power of reading to delight, comfort and connect children.
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Stanton Sheetz |
SHEETZ FAMILY HEALTH CENTER INTEGRATES STUDENT HEALTH, EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY WELLNESS SERVICES
Less than one year after ground was broken, Penn State Altoona's Sheetz Family Health Center is open and ready to serve both the students at the College as well as the Altoona community. The College celebrated the grand opening of the new facility on February 19, with a brief dedication program and tours. The facility is located off of Juniata Gap Road, adjacent to Baker Lane. Penn State Altoona teamed up with Mr. Robert Sheetz and the Sheetz Family, along with Central Pennsylvania Health Services Corporation, an integrated healthcare delivery system that includes Altoona Hospital, to create this community partnership on campus. The new Sheetz Family Health Center houses the College's nursing program and student Health and Wellness Center, as well as an on-site Blair Medical Associates physicians' office that will serve the community. For the complete story and photos from the grand opening celebration, visit http://www.altoona.psu.edu/ur/releases/2003/02_19_03.htm.
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CONTINUING ED STAFF RECEIVE UNIVERSITY-WIDE HONORS
Two employees from Penn State Altoona's Office of Continuing Education and Training were recently honored by the entire Penn State Continuing Education and Division of Outreach and Cooperative Extension.
Sherri McGregor received the Exemplary Programming Award for Kids College at Penn State Altoona. McGregor has been employed in the Continuing Education and Training Office at Penn State Altoona for 14 years, where she currently serves as an Education and Training Specialist.
Donna Harpster received the Outstanding Employee Award. Harpster has more than 30 years of service with the University and Continuing Education and Training. Penn State Altoona's Office of Continuing Education and Training provides computer training, professional development, credit certificates and courses, personal enrichment, programs for youth, workforce development and contract training, and summer programs.
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Sherri McGregor |
Donna Harpster |
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MOCK TRIAL REGIONAL TOURNAMENT COMES TO PENN STATE ALTOONA
More than 300 students from New York and Pennsylvania came to Penn State Altoona this semester to sharpen their debate skills and learn first-hand about the work of trial attorneys during the Mock Trial Regional Tournament. The three-day tournament included 29 teams from 13 colleges and universities, including two teams from Penn State Altoona. Mock Trial is a competition between prosecution (or plaintiff) and defense teams, consisting of undergraduate students taking on the roles of attorneys and witnesses in a criminal or civil legal issue. The American Mock Trial Association sanctions the competition and annually provides case material on a hypothetical issue.
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ALTOONA STUDENTS AND FACULTY SPEND SPRING BREAK ON DOMINICAN MISSION TRIP
 While many Penn State students were busy making plans to hit the beach or travel with friends during Spring Break this past semester, a group of Penn State Altoona students and faculty used the week to help those in need in the Dominican Republic. Twenty-five students and four faculty chaperones spent a week at the Hope of the Child Orphanage in Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic. They helped with various building and renovation projects and worked with the children, who ranged in age from 4 to 18, to teach them art projects, reading, English, phonics, and recreational activities. Each student and chaperone also took two suitcases of items to donate to the orphanage, such as non-perishable food items, clothing, and recreational activities. In addition to making an impact on the lives of the children while they were there, this spring break trip also made quite an impression on the Penn State Altoona students who were there.
"When you go on vacation, you tend to see everything that's nice about a foreign country, but when we went, we saw the poorest of the poor and the richest of the rich, and got to experience so much culture," said elementary education major Erin Donohue. "I know we made such a difference in their lives, and I'm almost jealous of them because their lives are so simple – and even though they are extremely poor, they are so happy."
"Taking this trip was one of the best things I've ever done, and being able to talk to the kids was so rewarding," said secondary Spanish education major Molly Loucks. "I went there thinking that I knew what poverty was, but I had no idea. I was so humbled the entire week. And now that I'm back here, I'm just so thankful and so grateful for what I have."
This year marked the third annual alternative spring break trip that Penn State Altoona students and faculty have taken to the Dominican Republic.
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PENN STATE ALTOONA GRADS SUCCESSFUL IN EMPLOYMENT SEARCH
Despite unfavorable trends nationally in the employment market, the majority of recent Penn State Altoona graduates have had success finding jobs or furthering their education. Penn State Altoona's Class of 2001 (graduates from fall 2000, spring 2001, and fall 2001) was surveyed by the College's career services office to determine employment and graduate school placement trends. Of the 89 percent of graduates who responded to the survey, 63 percent had found employment nine months after graduation, 34 percent were pursuing further education, and three percent were seeking employment.
Out of the students who found employment, 90 percent of them were employed full time and 87 percent were employed in a field related to their major. Students who took employment outside of their field of study were geographically bound to the area. The majority of graduating students were concentrated in the fields of business, engineering, and nursing. The slowing economy, however, has not had much effect on the ability of many new graduates to command top dollars, especially in the fields of engineering and nursing.
The success of Penn State Altoona's Class of 2001 was greatly aided by the College's active Career Services Office, headed by Career Services Director Rebecca Maguda. "The Career Services Office continues to assist alumni in seeking employment in their field of study," Maguda says. "Our staff encourages them to post their resumes on the College Central Network and refers them to upcoming job fair dates. Employers also continue to seek candidates who have developed their skills through internships so they can hit the ground running once they begin their job, so we encourage students to explore a variety of internship opportunities."
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"WORDPLAY": HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PLAY WITH LANGUAGE AT PENN STATE ALTOONA
Approximately 100 high school students from throughout Blair County got a taste of what college-level English classes are all about this past April. The students attended free workshops in writing and literature in the Community Arts Center. "Wordplay", sponsored and led by the College's English faculty, featured a variety of workshops, including "Reading and Writing with the Beatles", "King Arthur's Court of Love", "Going Haiku-ku: The Art and Nature of Haiku", "Thinking Like Thoreau, or Handwriting Analysis 101", as well as many others.
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CRIMINAL JUSTICE STUDENTS COLLECT BOOKS FOR WOMEN'S PRISON
Students from Penn State Altoona's criminal justice classes delivered 3,558 books this past semester to the Muncy Prison. Students set up collection boxes around campus near the end of last semester for faculty, staff, and fellow students to donate books for use in the women's state prison library. "The book holdings at Muncy prior to Penn State Altoona's donation were approximately 10,000, so our donation increased their holdings by approximately 1/3, to the delight and amazement of the Muncy staff," said Sharon RedHawk Love, assistant professor of criminal justice and sociology.
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DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER SERIES WRAPS UP YEAR OF ALL-STAR CAST
An attorney specializing in civil rights and terrorism, a best-selling novelist, and an astronomer with a passion for comets headlined an all-star cast for Penn State Altoona's 2002-2003 Distinguished Speaker Series. The series kicked off on September 16, 2002 when attorney
Morris Dees addressed some of the key issues facing our country caused by the September 11 tragedy in his speech entitled, "A Passion for Justice." Dees has successfully tracked and fought domestic terrorists for 20 years as chief trial counsel for The Southern Poverty Law Center, a nonprofit group he co-founded in 1971 which specializes in lawsuits involving civil rights violations, domestic terrorists, and racially-motivated crimes. His efforts have resulted in the Civil Rights Memorial, lawsuits that bankrupted the KKK and imprisoned perpetrators of hate crimes and increased awareness of radical militias, and has won landmark trials against the KKK and Aryan Nation.
In July 1994, Comet Shoemaker Levy-9 smashed into Jupiter – a cosmic event never before seen in recorded history. It's no surprise that
David Levy witnessed the first sighting of the comet, as he has been studying the night sky for more than 30 years. He brought his ceaseless commitment and passion for comet-hunting to Penn State Altoona on October 17, 2002 when he discussed Jupiter & Shoemaker-Levy 9: The Great Comet Collision. A nationally sought-after expert on cosmic events, Levy has appeared on such television shows as Today and Good Morning America, as well as several specials on The Discovery Channel.
Widely respected for his ability to spot economic and political trends around the world,
Dr. Fareed Zakaria has developed an international reputation as a global thinker. Describing him as "the most influential political adviser of his generation," Esquire magazine named Zakaria – Editor of Newsweek International – as "one of the 21 most important people of the 21st Century." Zakaria brought his insights to Penn State Altoona on February 11, 2003, for a discussion of Terrorism in an Age of Globalization.
During the past 25 years, Pulitzer-prize winning journalist and best-selling author
Anna Quindlen's work has appeared in America's most influential newspapers and most widely read magazines, and on both fiction and non-fiction best-seller lists. Her latest non-fiction book,
A Short Guide to a Happy Life, has sold over one million copies and has been on every national best-seller list since it was first published at the end of 2000. Quindlen wrapped up the Distinguished Speaker Series for the year on March 3, 2003 with her discussion of Women in the 21st Century: The Balancing Act, as part of the College's Women's History Month celebration.
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CONTINUING EDUCATION WINS AWARD FOR CERTIFICATE PROPOSAL
Penn State Altoona's Office of Continuing Education and Training received a University Continuing Education Association (UCEA) Region II award for its Recycling Professional Certification Program proposal. The award, which was presented at the 2002 Mid-Atlantic Region Annual Conference in Atlantic City, was given in the non-credit program development category. Jeff Covino and Pat Wood from the College's Continuing Education and Training Office accepted the award. Award criteria for this category includes the significance of the program to the needs of the community and the effectiveness of the program in meeting those needs, particularly those of adult or other continuing education constituencies, as well as effective and creative development of a program in the non-credit area. The Mid-Atlantic Region represents institutions and professionals in the following states: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington D.C. and West Virginia.
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ROLLER HOCKEY TEAM CAPTURES THREE REGIONAL AWARDS
Penn State Altoona's club roller hockey team, the Altoona Express, captured three of the four awards given at the Eastern Collegiate Roller Hockey Association's (ECRHA) All-Star Game in Feasterville, PA. Team member and defenseman Mike Bowman was presented with the Leadership Award, which is given to an individual who is a stand-out asset to his team. Penn State Altoona also received a community service award for their successful orchestration of a celebrity charity ice hockey game, as well as the Hockey College Award. Hockey College is a free clinic for the community youth of local facilities where roller hockey teams are located. Rinks donate the time and participants of ECRHA facilitate the free clinic and instruct the children. The Altoona Express was named as a standout contributor to this program. Penn State Altoona's Express team plays as a Division I member of the College Roller Hockey League (CRHL) in the Southern Conference.
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"NAP" PROGRAM PROVIDES WEEKLY FUN-FILLED ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS
Penn State Altoona students had brand-new activities to fit into their social calendars beginning this past academic year, thanks to a new campus-wide program aimed at providing alternatives to drinking. Organized by the Student Activities Office, "Nights At Penn State", or NAP, offers students such organized activities as bowling, movie nights, comedians, musicians, hypnotists and many others on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights to give students choices for their weekend activities. Campus clubs and organizations also took turns planning and sponsoring the events throughout the semester and provided an even greater opportunity for students to get involved in campus life.
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 STUDENTS WORK TOGETHER TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY
Learning inside the classroom is a major part of a student's college education, but Penn State Altoona is teaching its students the importance of giving back to the local community, as well. Many of the College's student organizations gave back to the community this past year in the form of service projects, which ranged from organizing a Red Cross Blood Drive and a "Fright Night" on campus for Halloween, to canning for Penn State's Dance Marathon and making dolls for children at Altoona Hospital. The organizations logged a total of 1504 total service hours for the fall semester, with Omega Delta sorority completing the most hours with 473.
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