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Harriet L. Gaston, minority programs coordinator in Penn State Altoona's Division of Undergraduate Studies, is the 2008 recipient of the Dr. James Robinson Equal Opportunity Award

The award, which was established in 1988 and renamed in 1998 to honor the late Dr. James Robinson, a Distinguished Alumnus and former Alumni Council member, recognizes a full-time faculty or staff member who, with at least two years of active service, has promoted equal opportunity through affirmative action and/or contributes to enhancing the educational environment of the University through improving cross-cultural understanding. The award is sponsored by the Penn State Alumni Association.

Posted Thursday, August 28, 2008

Patricia Jabbeh Wesley, assistant professor of English was an invited guest of the Advocates for Human Rights during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Liberia’s Diaspora Hearings in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Dr. Wesley appeared before the TRC of Liberia to speak about the tortures she, her family, and others experienced during the Liberian civil war. The hearings took place from June 9-14, 2008. Dr. Wesley, who testified on June 13, 2008, was invited because of her own on-going research into Liberian women’s stories. You may read/view the hearings at: http://liberiatrc.mnadvocates.org/Public_Hearings.html

Posted Thursday, June 26, 2008

Penn State Altoona Associate Professor of Visual Arts Rebecca Strzelec has been accepted into the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City. Her piece "Line Brooch" was unanimously accepted by the board for the permanent collection at the museum. The piece was first created digitally, then realized tangibly through Rapid Prototyping. It was created with plastic and medical adhesive.

Strzelec’s work will be unveiled in the jewelry gallery of the museum in September. The permanent collection of the Museum of Arts and Design includes works ranging from jewelry and items of personal adornment to furniture and architectural installations. The collection is international in scope, with notable works from Europe, Asia, and Australia. Taken as a whole, the collection highlights the artist’s creative engagement with materials and process in both functional and non-functional objects.

The Museum of Arts and Design collects, displays, and interprets objects that document contemporary and historic innovation in craft, art, and design. In its exhibitions and educational programs, the Museum celebrates the creative process through which materials are crafted into works that enhance contemporary life.

Posted Wednesday, June 25, 2008

L. Edward Day, associate professor of Criminal Justice and Sociology, has received the Founders Award, granted for outstanding service, from the Northeastern Association of Criminal Justice Sciences (NEACJS). The award will be presented during the annual meeting of the NEACJS in mid-June.

Posted Monday, June 9, 2008

Suzanne Kuhn, coordinator and senior instructor in nursing at Penn State Altoona, received her doctoral degree in nursing from Duquense University. It took Kuhn about six years to write her 127-page dissertation titled "The Process of Parental Bereavement Following the Violent Death of a Child." Kuhn defended her thesis to nine people. She hopes to continue studying this area.

Posted Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Patricia Jabbeh Wesley, assistant professor of English, was the feature of an article in the May/June Issue of the Indiana University alumni magazine. The article, titled, "Surviving War," also included three of Wesley's poems. The poems can be read at http://alumni.indiana.edu/magazine/poetry/index.shtml

Four of Wesley’s newer poems were published in the winter/spring issue of  JALA: Journal of the African Literature Association. Three of her poems were republished in issue 97 of Transition: An International Review.

Wesley was also featured by the Huntingdon Arts Council as the visiting poet for Poetry Month on April 17 and 18, 2008. She read her poetry in Huntingdon, PA, and conducted three poetry workshops for seniors in the Southern Huntingdon County High School on April 18, 2008.

Posted Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Thomas Krainer, assistant professor of mathematics, received the Outstanding Achievement in Research and Creative Activity Award at the annual reception honoring those who have recently received external grants and contracts and those who have published books during 2007-2008. The award was presented by Chancellor Lori J. Bechtel-Wherry.

Each year Penn State Altoona seeks to recognize distinguished research, scholarship, and creative contributions of the faculty through presentation of an Outstanding Achievement in Research and Creative Activity Award. The winner receives a plaque, a $1000 cash award, and formal recognition at the annual Faculty and Staff Awards banquet. Winners will be announced at the spring research reception recognizing faculty for the external grants they have received and books they have published.

Posted Friday, April 25, 2008

The 2008 Teaching and Learning Consortium's Athleen Stere Award has been given to Mike Weiner, associate professor of mathematics. The award was created to recognize excellence in teaching and learning as exemplified by Athleen Stere, faculty since 1971. Weiner received the award for dedication to his students, passion and enthusiasm for teaching, innovative teaching methods and demonstrated, sustained excellence in teaching. Weiner will receive a plaque and $500 grant. This is the sixth year for the award.

Posted Wednesday, April 23, 2008

The Commission for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) recently announced its 2007-2008 Individual or Group Award recipient, Esther "Essie" Auker, assistant director of Health and Wellness Services at Penn State Altoona. The award serves to recognize outstanding individuals and organizations that demonstrate exemplary actions towards promoting an environment that values healthy lifestyle choices concerning alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.

Those who nominated Auker praised her as being a strong and effective advocate of substance abuse prevention and education at the Penn State Altoona campus. She has served as a leader in coordinating and personally facilitating the alcohol education portion of Altoona's student orientation program, titled "How Far: Attitude of College Students about Drinking." This component addresses prevention and protective factors related to alcohol use, with the goal being to "inform students that the perception of excessive college drinking is not true."

Auker is recognized as being the "driving force" behind alcohol education efforts at Penn State Altoona and, through her programming, has reached approximately 4,500 first-year students, as well as a significant number of high school students in Blair County.

The CSAP awards program is intended to recognize individuals, organizations and initiatives that promote and apply strategies that may include, but are not limited to: alcohol and other drug free options; student leadership opportunities or community service; social norm campaigns; intervention programs including tobacco cessation and alcohol intervention efforts; policy and procedures; enforcement efforts; and peer advocacy.

An advisory group to the Vice President for Student Affairs, the mission of the Penn State Commission for Substance Abuse Prevention is to foster an environment that does not support the abuse of alcohol, tobacco or other substances. Its membership consists of students, faculty, staff and administrators from numerous Penn State campuses.

Posted Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Patricia Jabbeh Wesley, assistant professor of English, was an invited and featured visiting poet for Johnson C. Smith University’s Lyceum Series from March 24 - 25, 2008. Wesley was the featured author in the "Thirteenth Annual World of Words Festival" as part of the Lyceum Series calendar. During her visit, Wesley conducted a creative writing seminar title "The Art and Craft of the Creative Process" and read her poetry at the North Carolina University. The Lyceum Series is one of the stellar lecture and performance series in the Charlotte area. Students at the University are required to earn eight Lyceum credits in order to be eligible for graduation. Wesley’s visit provided two Lyceum credits to students. The visit was made possible by the Lyceum Committee at Johnson C. Smith University.

Posted Wednesday, April 9, 2008