Blue & White | Volume 24 | Penn State Berks Magazine

Exploring New Horizons

Penn State Berks Welcomes New Chancellor with a Renewed Outlook

SUSTAINABILITY

berks.psu.edu/ce/summer-camps

SUSTAINABILITY

The Sustainability Council is focusing on environmental and sustainable initiatives to help the campus community become more informed and engaged in these practices.

NEW CHANCELLOR

College’s sixth chancellor, Dr. Radha Pyati, is on a mission to make a difference with a commitment to DEIB and STEM education.

NEW COURSE FOR SWIFTIES

Are you ready for it? Penn State Berks will offer a new course titled “Taylor Swift, Gender, and Communication” starting in the fall 2024 semester.

LAUNCHBOX ANNIVERSARY

Berks LaunchBox celebrates fifth anniversary at the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts.

Penn State Berks Chancellor Radha Pyati chats with students outside the Gaige Technology and Business Innovation Building.

Photo by Theo Anderson

LETTER FROM THE CHANCELLOR

EDITORIAL

Editor-in-Chief

Lisa R. Baldi

Associate Editors

Samantha L. Bower

Mackenzie R. Cullen

Contributing Writers

Lisa R. Baldi

Samantha L. Bower

Mackenzie R. Cullen

Erica L. Kunkel

Tyler D. Schueck

ART

Art Director

Jaine E. DelVecchio

Photography

Theo Anderson

Susan Angstadt

The Blue & White Magazine is published by the Penn State Berks Office of Strategic Communications.

Send correspondence to: Strategic Communications Penn State Berks PO Box 7009 Reading, PA 19610-6009

Email: StratCommBerks@psu.edu

Opinions expressed are not necessarily shared by the University, the college, the publishers, or the editors.

We Are … thrilled to be at Penn State Berks! We’re pleased to update you on all the happenings on campus. Since I arrived in July 2023, I’ve enjoyed a warm welcome from students, faculty, staff, and community members.

This warm welcome is a hallmark of Penn State Berks and our ethic of care toward our students. I have been deeply impressed by the personal attention our students receive and the number of student activities on campus. Our faculty and staff are truly our greatest asset!

As you’ll see in this magazine, our people are providing great experiences for our students. Students are doing groundbreaking research. They are taking leadership roles after graduation, and they are making amazing contributions to their communities.

Indeed, the high level of community engagement at Penn State Berks drew me here, and my goals are to raise the profile of our campus and drive our community forward. We at Penn State Berks want to be top-of-mind as a place where people can get things done. Students, youth, community partners, and business leaders in Berks County and beyond can come to us to talk about events and programs that can benefit the entire community. Our new Office of Community Engagement, featured within this issue of the Blue and White, is the place to go to coordinate these activities.

And lots more good things are happening at Penn State Berks. Inside this issue you’ll learn about our sustainability initiatives, athletic successes, and our LaunchBox. Our students and faculty are creating tremendous success and building Penn State’s profile around the Commonwealth, the nation, and the world.

So please enjoy all you read in this issue of the Blue and White, and know that we at Penn State Berks are charting an exciting course toward the future. We want you to be a part of it.

Dr. Radha Pyati Chancellor, Penn State Berks

Photo by Susan Angstadt

THE BEAT

STUDY BREAK

Penn State Berks student studies in the Cohen Lounge at the Thun Library.

CAMPUS

¡ SOMOS PENN STATE!

PENN STATE BERKS CELEBRATES HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

By Lisa R. Baldi

Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the Hispanic and Latino cultures of our students, faculty, staff, and community members. This year’s events were bigger and better than ever. In addition, many other initiatives are underway to reach out to the Latino and Hispanic communities, both on and off campus.

Javier Ávila kicked off the month’s festivities with a presentation titled “The Road to Trouble,” which was followed by a reception featuring traditional Latino foods including empanadas and Mexican wedding cookies. Ávila is a professor of English, as well as a poet, novelist, and public speaker. A native of Puerto Rico, he offered a close – and at times humorous — examination of the American-Latino experience, including the difficulty in being understood across cultures, how to respond to microaggressions, and how some foods just ‘feel like home.’ He also provided a fascinating perspective on what it means to balance assimilation with cultural preservation.

The eleventh annual Latino Forum featured Roy Juarez, Jr., who delivered a moving keynote presentation, “My Bag, My Home.” Juarez is a dynamic speaker who shared his life story of how he went from homeless youth to a successful college graduate, entrepreneur, and author of Homeless by Choice: A Memoir of Love, Hate, and Forgiveness, a riveting account of his decision to live homeless again this time by choice. The mission of the Latino Forum is to empower Latino students to pursue higher education. The event culminated with a pizza party and a live remote with La Mega Radio Station.

Top: Javier Ávila opened Hispanic Heritage Month by presenting “The Road to Trouble.”

Above: Traditional empanadas were served at the opening reception.

Below: The Barrio Alegria group performed at Fiesta Latina.

returned by a faculty or staff member who is fluent in Spanish.

Roy Juarez Jr. smiled during a live broadcast on La Mega radio station’s Facebook page.

BLUE & WHITE

THE SPIRIT OF COMPASSION

PRACTICAL NURSING GRAD MAMADOU DIALLO OVERCOMES MANY OBSTACLES

When Mamadou Diallo was a young boy growing up in the African country of Guinea, he befriended a blind, orphan with intellectual disabilities. After much pleading, eventually convinced his parents to take the boy in, even though his family did not have the resources to support another child. In fact, Diallo was so committed to helping his friend that he shared his own meager food and clothing with him.

That spirit of compassion has remained a defining quality throughout Diallo’s life and led him to complete the Penn State Berks Practical Nursing Certificate Program in December 2023.

Along with his studies in the classroom, he also gained hands-on clinical experience with community partners in the Greater Berks County area.

Diallo has seen a lot of tragedy in his life, he said, which eventually led him to enroll in the Practical Nursing Program. Just as he graduated from college in Guinea, his mother became seriously ill with an infection. The family could not afford the antibiotics that she needed, so the infection quickly spread and led to her untimely death. Her dying words to Diallo were, “Never stop helping the needy and continue to always educate yourself.”

When Diallo immigrated to the United States, his first priority was to improve his English language skills, so he took courses at Reading Area Community College (RACC). He was hired by Prospectus Berco, a nonprofit organization that provides employment opportunities, community living space, and other services for people with disabilities.

Diallo excelled in the Practical Nursing Program, receiving the Excellence in Clinical Practice Award, presented to the nursing student who best displays a high regard for clinical care and clinical aptitude. He also received the Most Compassionate Award.

In the essay he wrote to apply to the Penn State Berks Practical Nursing Program, he stated, “With more than two decades of experiences providing care to people of all ages in different capacities … if I am blessed to be accepted in your wonderful program, I’ll make sure my dying mother’s last words continue to be my guiding principle.”

Since graduation, Diallo has successfully completed the National Council Licensure Examination-Practical Nurse, or NCLEX-PN.

SUPPORT FOR EVERYONE

COLLEGE PILOTS SENSORY ROOM AS SUPPORTIVE SPACE FOR NEURODIVERSE STUDENTS

For students who need a break from the cacophony of campus life, Penn State Berks now has a sensory space at the Thun Library.

WHAT IS A SENSORY ROOM?

Sensory rooms use specialized equipment, furniture, and lighting to generate a controlled sensory-focused environment that calms the nervous system, increases feelings of safety, and lowers stress and anxiety. Also

WHY OFFER SENSORY ROOMS?

Anxiety and depression have surged among college students since the beginning of the pandemic, making it more important than ever to ease students’ stress burden. Sensory rooms can help reduce these barriers to wellness and offer a sense of belonging.

At the Thun Library’s Sensory Room, windows open the space to the outdoors, creating a sense of calm. The room features an Alpha Egg chair, Buddha Board, yoga supplies, foam rollers, sound mixer, weighted lap blankets, and fidget tools. A bubble tower generates soothing white noise and soft lighting, and hologram generators offer visual stimming. Students can reserve the room for up to 90 minutes, and a wellness guide was created to accompany its use.

THE PURSUIT OF HOPPINESS

FIRST CLASS GRADUATES FROM CRAFT BREWING PROGRAM

By Erica L. Kunkel

Cheers to craft beer! Ten students graduated as the first cohort of the inaugural Penn State Berks Craft Brewing Certificate Program in December 2023. The students celebrated what they learned by hosting a tasting of their new brew at Broken Goblet Brewing in Bensalem, Pa.

The brew is named “Land Grant” beer—a land beer, meaning it’s made with locally grown and harvested ingredients. It was brewed at Broken Goblet Brewing, which is co-owned by program coordinator Jeremy Myers. Land Grant beer includes barley from Double Eagle Malt in Huntingdon Valley, Pa. and hops from Fawn Hill Hop Yard in Reading.

INGREDIENTS TO BUILD A BETTER BEER

Designed for students with some brewing experience, the Craft Brewing Certificate Program provides amateurs and home brewers knowledge on the science of brewing and fermentation. Individuals who want to enter the brewing industry and current brewing professionals can build their expertise to advance their careers. The program includes eight remote courses where students meet weekly with their instructor via Zoom.

Courses include “Beer: Past, Present, and Future;" "Introduction to Beer Production,” a course focused on the four major ingredients of beer—water, yeast, hops, and malt; two capstone courses on the business

Students gathered to learn about the beginning stages of the brewing process.

Jeremy Myers (left) taught his students how to use the equipment for brewing.

OUTREACH

of brewing beer; and a brew practicum. There are also course field trips to breweries, malthouse tours, and hop farm visits.

For the final course, the brew practicum, students leverage their new skills by crafting a beer in their instructor’s brewery, pulling together knowledge and proficiency from all the previous seven courses.

INSTRUCTORS WITH EXPERIENCE

Students learn from brewing industry experts and specialists. Jeremy Myers is the curriculum coordinator and instructor of five craft brewing certificate courses. Former owner and cofounder of Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company, Myers served as head brewer from 2010 to 2019 and earned Philly Beer Scene Brewer of the Year from 2016 to 2018. He created the Mutual

Respect Brewers Co-op, composed of smaller breweries that share resources. Myers is also a consultant to the Braumanufaktur Bachs in Neunkirchen, Germany, where he trains German brewers in American craft brewing techniques.

The Penn State Berks Craft Brewing Certificate Program was made possible by the PA Specialty Crop Block Grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. The grant was awarded in July 2021 to allow the college to develop a craft brewing certificate program that uses Pennsylvania specialty grains. Penn State Berks partnered with Penn State Cooperative Extension to develop the noncredit courses and free webinars.

For more information, visit berks.psu.edu/brewing or contact Erica Kunkel at ELS5014@psu.edu.

DANCING

FOR A CURE

BERKS SENDS FOUR DANCERS TO THON 2024 WEEKEND

Four Penn State Berks dancers spent 46 hours in the Bryce Jordan Center dancing in support of a cure for pediatric cancer during THON 2024 weekend, February 16-18.

The Berks Benefitting THON dancers included seniors Sydney Bankert and Samantha Hagenbush, and sophomores Manali Desai and Mariem Hanna. They were joined by Penn State Berks students, faculty, and staff supporters.

All four dancers agreed that dancing in THON 2024 was a rewarding experience that provided an opportunity to support the Four Diamonds families while also connecting with other Penn State students across the Commonwealth.

Throughout the year, the student organization hosts a variety of fundraisers including food sales, a “Pie in the Face” event, and the annual “Inspire the Night” benefit dinner, which raised $16,922 in 2024.

Berks Benefitting THON raised $34,090.75 in 2024 and earned the fifth spot among Penn State Commonwealth campuses. Overall, THON 2024 raised a grand total $16,955,683.63 – which broke THON’s yearly record for the third year in a row. All funds benefit Four Diamonds to fund pediatric cancer research and support children and families fighting childhood cancer.

Pictured (left to right) are Manali Desai, Samantha Hagenbush, Sydney Bankert, and Mariem Hanna.

OUTREACH

ONE COMMUNITY. IMPACTING MANY.

By Lisa R. Baldi

Penn State Berks truly is “One Community. Impacting Many.” From hosting and participating in the United Way of Berks County’s “The Big Cheese,” to working with the Olivet Boys & Girls Club to clean up a section of the Schuylkill River Trail, the college is actively engaged in Berks County and beyond.

As community needs have steadily increased, the college responded by establishing the Office of Community Engagement (OCE) to help meet those needs. Their mission is to form strategic partnerships, build relevant and meaningful relationships within the community, connect through service opportunities, and streamline the process of community engagement initiatives on campus.

The OCE connects community partners with students, faculty, and staff to work on all types of community engagement initiatives. The OCE also advises faculty and staff on the development of community engagement and/or service-learning projects for students.

“At Penn State Berks, we care deeply about our local community,” stated Chancellor Radha Pyati. “As part of our land-grant mission, service is one of our guiding pillars, not only for the benefit of our community partners, but also to enrich the experiences of our students, faculty, and staff. Whether our campus community is volunteering or hosting a community event on campus, we want to be the first institution of higher education that our community partners think of when they have a need.”

OFFICE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT HELPS COLLEGE CONNECT TO THE COMMUNITY

Penn State Berks has hosted “The Big Cheese” event for seven years. This is the United Way’s largest meal-packing event in the country.

Donna Chambers, associate teaching professor of spanish, serves as the interim coordinator of the OCE. She works closely with the OCE advisory council, which includes several Penn State Berks faculty and staff members.

“Collaboration between campus and community is always a win-win situation,” stated Chambers. “When each group inhabits the space of the other, a sense of empathy and open-mindedness

blossoms. When barriers are broken and bridges are built, campus and community form enduring relationships of respect, inclusion, and belonging toward one another.”

The OCE hosts more than 100 community events each academic year. Some of the larger events include the United Way’s “The Big Cheese,” Opportunity House’s “Souper Bowl,” Girls on the Run of Berks County 5K, and the Guts & Glory Digestive and Wellness Expo, just to name a few. College facilities are available free of charge for nonprofit organizations and businesses are able to rent space for reasonable fees.

COLLEGE HAS LONG HISTORY OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Penn State has a long history of serving Berks County. As early as 1914, the University was offering agricultural extension and evening courses to county residents. In 1927, Penn State instructors helped to establish a formal education program at Textile Machine Works, later named the Wyomissing Trade School. In 1933, the school was awarded a state charter and renamed the Wyomissing Polytechnic Institute, the forerunner institution of Penn State Berks.

Pictured is the Office of Community Engagement team: (left to right) Donna Chambers, interim coordinator, and Kim Schittler, administrative assistant.

Pictured (left) are some of the handmade bowls available at the event. Various food establishments, including Penn State Berks Housing and Food Services, provided a variety of soups.

ONE COMMUNITY.

TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF YOUTH IN READING AND BEYOND

Penn State Berks is committed to inspiring future generations in their academic efforts. Beginning in the early 1990s, the college began offering the Penn State Educational Partnership Program (PEPP), which has served thousands of underrepresented students through after-school programs and activities. The program is offered at Reading High School and the goal is to motivate and prepare youth for higher education. Graduates of the PEPP program have gone on to become successful students and alumni of Penn State Berks and other colleges.

PARTNERING TO DEVELOP SOLUTIONS TO ENHANCE WELLNESS

The Veggie Rx program at Penn State Health St. Joseph’s Downtown Reading Campus is another partnership that serves the community. The program provides patients suffering from chronic obesity and diabetes with nutrition education and “prescriptions” in the form of vouchers for fresh fruits and vegetables. A study conducted by the Penn State College of Medicine found that voucher redemption was significantly related to a decrease in A1c, suggesting that vouchers paired with education helped some patients to better manage their diabetes.

BERKS LAUNCHBOX SERVES EARLY-STAGE ENTREPRENEURS

The Berks LaunchBox is celebrating the fifth anniversary of its expansion at the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts in downtown Reading. An innovation hub of the Invent Penn State initiative, the mission of the Berks LaunchBox is to assist early-stage entrepreneurs

Students volunteer at Opportunity House, the Reading emergency shelter, preparing and serving meals about once a month.

The campus community works together to clean up the Schuylkill River Trail.

IMPACTING MANY.

and startup companies with accessing the tools and resources they need to launch and grow in Greater Reading.

OTHER COMMUNITY SERVICE INITIATIVES

In addition to the initiatives listed above, students, faculty, and staff embark on many other community service initiatives throughout the year.

Alternative Spring Break takes students around the country and the globe to help communities touched by natural and man-made disasters. This spring, students visited the Cheyenne River Tribe of South Dakota Lakota Sioux Nation reservation and provided tutoring and educational workshops to youth, engaged in social and recreational activities with elders, provided health education to community members on the reservation, and assisted in tending to indigenous land and farms.

The Penn State Berks community is united in the fight against childhood cancer. Berks Benefitting THON, a student organization, supports the Penn State Panhellenic Dance Marathon, known as THON, to raise funds and awareness for the fight against pediatric cancer.

There are a wide variety of other community engagement activities in which students participate, including preparing and serving dinner to the clients at Opportunity House, the Reading emergency shelter, and providing activities for seniors in various retirement communities.

The campus community also rallies around victims of disasters. A group of faculty and staff raised funds to help those impacted by the Palmer Chocolate Factory explosion that occurred in March 2023. Other fundraisers have been held for those impacted by natural disasters such as the earthquakes that recently affected Turkey and Syria. Additional efforts include bike rides to support pediatric cancer, pet food drives, support of the Pennsylvania Migrant Education Program, and many others.

All these efforts reflect Penn State Berks’ commitment to the University’s land-grant mission of teaching, research and service, as well as the college’s commitment to support the citizens of the Greater Reading and Berks County areas.

Penn State Berks is “One Community. Impacting Many.”

Penn State Berks students were invited to groom and ride the Cheyenne River Game and Fish Parks horses on their last day of service during alternate spring break.

OUTREACH

ENGINEERING INCLUSIVITY

STUDENTS SPREAD HOLIDAY JOY BY MAKING TOYS ACCESSIBLE FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

By Samantha L. Bower

In a unique collaboration this fall, Penn State Berks engineering students worked with the Berks County Intermediate Unit (BCIU) and area high school students to adapt toys to be more accessible for local children with special needs.

ENGINEERING FOR INCLUSIVITY

Penn State Berks engineering students worked with local high school students to examine the buttonactivated toys they planned to adapt, which included a singing chicken that lays eggs, a penguin that lights up, and a drumming “Animal” Muppet character.

The Berks engineering students were all members of FiERCE (Futures in Engineering: Role-models Can Empower), a student organization that mentors middleand high-school students. Twin Valley and Governor Mifflin High Schools were selected as the pilot schools in this project because they had established STEM programs and were already working with the BCIU.

The group deconstructed and analyzed the toys and their functionality, then brainstormed ways to make them more accessible for children who are unable to use their fine motor skills to squeeze the button that activates the toy. The high school students suggested solutions,

with Penn State Berks students guiding the design and execution.

To make the toys more accessible, high school students reverse-engineered the electronics embedded in the toy. They developed a second parallel operating control outside the toy that could be activated via a much larger button, which was easier for children to operate with minimal effort.

After the two groups of students established the design criteria, Penn State Berks students created 3D-printed prototypes the new button design. Molds were then created to mass produce some of the parts while others were 3D printed at the Berks LaunchBox, an innovation hub of Penn State Berks located in the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts in downtown Reading. Then high school students wired the new buttons to the toys under the guidance of Berks FiERCE students.

“At Berks, we are really focused on creating a community where DEIB practices are integrated into our programs,” said Marietta Scanlon, associate teaching professor of engineering, chair of the electro-mechanical engineering technology (EMET) program, and faculty

adviser for FiERCE. “This project is a great example of putting those ideas into action. It allowed us to extend the idea of the importance of inclusivity and empathy in engineering to not only our students, but to the next generation of students.”

“My favorite part of this project has been interacting with the kids,” said Kira Corrie, a first-year EMET major. “It’s been great to mentor them and help fully actualize their ideas and concepts through the entire process.”

WORKING WITH THE BCIU

This project was initiated by Katie Kehm, a program administrator at the BCIU, who was introduced to the idea when visiting the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit.

“I had seen these students adapting tools for special needs students and I loved the idea,” Kehm said. “I have a science background, so I brought in some colleagues with special education backgrounds to see what we could do.”

Colleen Rios, an educational consultant for BCIU and a colleague of Kehm, had previously worked with Chuck Stricker, assistant teaching professor of engineering at Penn State Berks. Together, they created a team to work on this initiative with the goal of brightening the holiday for children with special needs.

The BCIU students also played an important role in this project, the advisers said. While Penn State Berks students oversaw the high school students’ soldering and assembly work, BCIU students assisted with the testing, sewing, bagging, and tagging of the toys to prepare them for distribution.

GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

After the toys were completed, they were gifted to children with special needs throughout Berks County. The team made dozens of toys more accessible and distributed the first batch to students in the Antietam School District, which had catastrophic flooding over the summer. Other toys were gifted to BCIU students, as well as to students at Twin Valley and Governor Mifflin.

Penn State Berks students and faculty stressed both the mentoring and service aspects of the project.

“Our students are breaking down an intimidating topic and helping these kids feel more comfortable with it,” Scanlon said. “They’re not doing the work for them but allowing them to build their experience.”

Lucas Hall, a third-year mechanical engineering student, agreed. “We’re helping these high schoolers build their STEM skill sets. I’ve really enjoyed watching them tackle this project from start to finish.”

Other students, such as third-year EMET major Nick Hill, said he explicitly sought out ways to support the community through coursework, stating, “Dr. Scanlon mentioned the FiERCE program to me when I had her for first-year seminar, and I thought it would be a great way to for me to give back to the community.”

A FiERCE student is pictured testing the botton for the penguin toy.

Pictured above is Marietta Scanlon, associate teaching professor of engineering, as she explains soldering to a local high school student.

By Lisa Baldi

BUILDING A LEGACY

PENN STATE ALUMNA AND HUSBAND, ADREAN AND RICK TURNER, OPEN LEGACY CIGAR LOUNGE

Despite its name, Legacy Cigar Lounge is about much more than cigars: It’s about building community and offering an experience that everyone can enjoy. This is the mission that motivated Penn State alumna Adrean Turner and husband Rick Turner to open their business in West Reading, in September 2023.

FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS

A native of Philadelphia, Adrean earned a B.S. in economics from Penn State University Park in 1990. She then went to work as a sales representative for a large pharmaceutical company that offered tuition reimbursement, so she promptly enrolled in the MBA program at Penn State Great Valley, earning her degree in 1994.

After 23 years in the pharmaceutical industry, she decided to retire and started Turner Coaching Training and Consulting, which provides career and leadership training and public speaking services.

She credits the Berks LaunchBox, an innovation hub of the Invent Penn State initiative, with providing valuable support and helping her to develop a strategy for her

business. She began working with the LaunchBox in 2017, and since that time, Adrean has served as a coach and a competition judge, and now serves as a LaunchBox adviser.

Meanwhile, Rick has had an equally impressive career. He enlisted in the Navy after high school and was deployed to his first ship, which stopped in Chile. That’s where he smoked his first cigar, a Cuban Choiba, and discovered a life-long passion.

In fact, the Navy not only played a part in Rick’s love of cigars; it was also part of Rick and Adrean’s love story. They met when Rick’s ship docked at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

Rick also had a career in the pharmaceutical industry, retiring as a marketing executive. During that time, he earned his B.S. in business administration from Gwynedd Mercy University and his MBA from Alvernia University. In addition, he has competed in eight Ironman Triathlons.

“We support each other in our individual goals, and we have been dreaming of how to bring our lives together for a passion,” stated Rick.

Photo by Theo Anderson

Photo by Theo Anderson

LENDING MEANING TO ‘LEGACY’

The Turners wanted to create an experience that everyone could enjoy – they call it “the Legacy experience.” Patrons are immediately greeted by a certified cigar sommelier tobacconist, who walks them through the process of choosing a cigar, and then cuts and lights the cigar and recommends a food and drink pairing.

The Turners have been married for 32 years, and they have three adult children and two granddaughters. Their two sons work with them at Legacy: Jordan is assistant manager of the humidor and Rick IV handles overall

SISTER-PRENEURS

A lot has changed for Penn State Berks sisters and cofounders of OCOA, Cory Varona Corniel ’11 and Nicol Varona Cancelmo ’13, in the last few years, but their commitment to empowering curly-haired Latina women remains the same.

Formerly known as DN Organics, they rebranded their company as OCOA in March 2023. OCOA is a high-end, curly hair care line inspired by the beauty of the Dominican Republic. The name “OCOA” means a place between mountains in the extinct indigenous Taino language. Ocoa is also the hometown of the founders’ mother.

Along with rebranding, the sisters also launched “Helping Hermanas” initiative in Reading, which aims to educate youth on how to care for their curly hair and on the importance of clean ingredients in self-care.

So far, OCOA has donated more than 300 full-size products to the Reading community with plans to expand beyond Berks County. In 2023, the sisters were recognized with the Berks County Latino Chamber Young Entrepreneurship Award. They were also Black Ambition Top 50 Finalists, Square Forward Scholars, and part of the Amika x SoGal Rooted in Growth 2023 Cohort. In addition, they are alumni of the Digital Undivided – Philadelphia Breakthrough 2022 Cohort and the Credo for Change 2022 Cohort.

Despite their success, Cory and Nicol are committed and active alumni of Penn State Berks. Most recently, they gave the keynote speech at the fall 2023 commencement ceremony.

In addition to these accomplishments, they both serve on the Penn State Berks Latino Advisory Council. The sisters successfully juggle careers, marriages, and caring for young children with running a successful a company together.

operations. Their daughter, Angelique, is employed as a nurse and she lends a hand with special events.

“Family is the reason behind the name ‘Legacy,’” explained Rick. “We want to have a legacy to leave to our children and grandchildren.”

Legacy Cigar Lounge is located at 559 Penn Avenue in West Reading. Their establishment offers cigars at every price point. Customers are welcome to stop by, enjoy a cigar, a bite to eat, and a cocktail, and just relax to the smooth jazz or soft reggae music playing in the background. For more information, visit legacycigarpa.com.

VARONA SISTERS CONTINUE THEIR JOURNEY OF SUCCESS

Pictured above, Cory Varona Corneil (left) and Nicol Varona Canelmo, are successful entrepreneurs and loyal alumni.

COMING FULL CIRCLE

CAREER AS POLICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY DEI DIRECTOR TAKES BERKS ALUMNA IRIS RICHARDSON BACK TO HER PENN STATE ROOTS

By Lisa R. Baldi

When Iris Richardson began her studies at Penn State Berks in 2003, she never dreamed that 20 years later, she would be the first director of diversity, equity, and inclusion for Penn State University’s Police and Public Safety Office. Her career has brought her Penn State journey full circle.

Officially starting the position in April 2020 was tough, Richardson stated, right after the coronavirus pandemic emptied classrooms and offices throughout the University. At the same time, the nation was dealing with the killing of George Floyd. Richardson added that she had a lot of support in the department. She also felt privileged to have the opportunity.

“When I read the job description, it was a culmination of everything I had done at Penn State so far. I worked at six Penn State campuses before taking this position: Berks, Schuylkill, University Park, Abington, Brandywine,

and Mont Alto. Now in this position, my work touches all the campuses.”

As DEI director, Richardson serves the diverse community of students, faculty, and staff across 22 campus locations; fosters diversity and equal opportunity; promotes dialogue among campus community members; and nurtures a climate of inclusiveness, collegiality, and shared responsibility.

She explains that she works to accomplish all these objectives through three main areas of focus: recruitment and retention, training, and outreach. It all begins during the recruitment process. When recruiting sworn officers and staff, Richardson ensures that there is a pool of diverse candidates, the interviewers ask inclusive and holistic questions, bias training is completed, and there are diverse stakeholders in the interview process.

“

In an ideal world, there wouldn’t be a need for this position because everyone would understand diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

Training focuses on diversity, equity, and inclusion topics and health, wellness, and safety. It includes American Sign Language training in collaboration with Penn State’s human development and family studies program, training in responding to mental health issues, StrengthFinders training, and – last but not least –“No Woman Left Behind,” which gives space and place to empower female officers. University Police and Public Safety signed the “30x30 Initiative Pledge” – to fill their ranks with 30% women in police recruitment classes by 2030, and Richardson oversees these efforts.

Community-oriented policing and outreach are also major areas of focus. These efforts include holding community events and having difficult community conversations about topics such as social justice.

Richardson began her Penn State journey as a student at Penn State Berks from 2003–2007, graduating with a B.A. in applied psychology. She worked as a resident assistant during her time at the college and formed meaningful relationships with many of the staff and faculty on campus.

“It was amazing,” she comments on her time at Penn State Berks. “I experienced a lot of growth due to the people I met. It was a very family-oriented environment.”

In fact, she worked on campus every summer after completing her first academic year in various offices including the Aspiring Scholars Program, Financial Aid, Housing and Food Services, and the Bookstore.

After graduation, she enrolled in a master’s degree program in higher education counseling and student affairs at West Chester University. She returned to Berks to complete her field work for the degree.

Richardson went on to serve in several residence life positions within the University, starting at University Park campus as residence life coordinator, then moving to Schuylkill where she served as interim assistant director. From there she accepted the position of interim assistant director for Abington and Brandywine campuses.

She returned to University Park to serve as Area coordinator and then to Mont Alto campus, where she served as associate director of student affairs, before accepting her current position.

“I’ve always been a trailblazer,” comments Richardson. “When I saw the posting for this new position, I said ‘Why not?’ I have always enjoyed working with Police and Public Safety officers and serving students at the campuses.”

She explains that as a Philadelphia native, she had her own unconscious biases. Richardson credits Berks Police and Public Safety Officer Mark Groff and Kevin Rudy, retired Police Chief, with helping her break down those barriers. Now she wants to help campus communities to break down their barriers.

When asked what she would like to see in the future, Richardson states, “Two worlds are currently colliding. Neither law enforcement nor diversity, equity, and inclusion have a positive image in the media. I want to help change that and to continue to advocate for the campuses.”

Richardson summarized, “In an ideal world, there wouldn’t be a need for this position because everyone would understand diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

Richardson (center, green shirt) and other members of University Park’s Police and Public Safety Office donned multi-color t-shirts to show their support for Pride Month.

DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI NEWS

CREATING A BRIDGE

NEW

SCHOLARSHIP

WILL BENEFIT GRADUATES OF DANIEL BOONE HIGH SCHOOL

Inspired by the opportunity to memorialize her husband and support the community that brought them together, Penn State alumna Barbara Bradley made a gift of $350,000 to establish the John and Barbara Bradley Scholarship at Penn State Berks. First preference will go to graduates of Daniel Boone Area High School in Birdsboro, Pa., where Barbara taught elementary-age children and John attended high school.

“John and I deeply valued the role education played in our lives, and as a teacher and a mother, I found it so meaningful to open young minds to the world around them,” Barbara said. “But I also heard from so many young people worried about the cost of tuition, and I realized it was within my power to help them.”

The couple met as students at University Park. Barbara earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education. John completed his B.S. in finance and then earned his juris doctorate from Dickinson School of Law. He enjoyed a long career at Masano Bradley LLP and as solicitor for Daniel Boone Area School District and Reading School District. Their children also attended Daniel Boone.

Barbara stated, “I know John would have loved the idea of creating a bridge to success that stretched from Daniel Boone School District to Penn State Berks.”

STAFF RECOGNITION

MELISSA EDWARDS NAMED DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

In August 2023, Melissa Edwards was named director of development following the retirement of David Delozier.

Edwards served as associate director of development at Berks since 2015. During that time, she worked with a diverse prospect pool to establish meaningful relationships, leading to multiple collaborations resulting in over $6 million raised for Penn State. She has also worked to expand, create, and manage strategic partnerships between the college and local business and industry.

Edwards earned a B.S. in business management in 2006 from Penn State. She went on to earn a master of education in student affairs higher education administration at Kutztown University.

HEATHER WISE HONORED WITH PENN STATE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AWARD

Heather Wise, assistant director of alumni relations, received the Karen and Lewis Gold Penn State Alumni Association Staff Recognition Award in April 2023. Wise joined Penn State Berks in 1999. She has worked closely with the Penn State Berks Alumni Society, the Berks County Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association, and the Blue & White Society. She earned an associate degree in business administration from Penn State Berks in 2004.

The award recognizes one University staff member annually who demonstrates devotion to the mission of the Penn State Alumni Association, whose performance is marked by professionalism, and who exhibits initiative and leadership.

ATHLETICS FORMING BONDS

UNITED EAST AND THE COLONIAL STATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MERGE

By Tyler D. Schueck

There is a plethora of team and individual success to celebrate at Penn State Berks. The Nittany Lions had two conference postseason champions, one regular season champion, and eight postseason participants. They also placed 23 members on all-conference teams, earned four individual conference awards, and placed one studentathlete on an all-region team.

This past fall marked a new look for the United East Conference and the postseason format. The United East and the Colonial State Athletic Conference (CSAC) officially merged on July 1, 2023, with the new conference maintaining the United East name and brand. The two conferences formed a division within the overall conference, with the United East making up the Volt Division and the CSAC playing in the Skye Division. Each division played a postseason tournament and the winners faced off in a crossover championship, with the winning earning a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Fall sports wrapped up their seasons, participating in postseason play for the first time since 2017. Men’s soccer and women’s volleyball saw their seasons draw to a close in the first round of the playoffs. At the cross-country championship, the men’s squad placed fourth of 12 teams and the women were eighth of 13 teams. Women’s soccer was crowned the United East Champions for the second straight season and ninth time in program history. The women’s soccer team battled in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament but were topped 3-1 by No. 9 ranked Johns Hopkins University.

This past spring also saw a lot of postseason action for the Nittany Lions. Men’s tennis was knocked out in the United East semifinal round, while men’s golf finished in fifth place out of 12 competing teams.

The highlight of the spring 2023 season was the softball team winning its second straight United East championship and eighth title of all-time. Berks notched a win on the national stage in its fifth straight appearance after going 1-2 at the NCAA Tournament.

The on-field achievements translated to plenty of individual accolades. The Nittany Lions had 12 studentathletes earn all-conference recognition this past fall, while 11 members earned the honor last spring.

The women’s soccer team had four members earn first team honors, while two were placed on the second team. Diana Pon was selected as United East Player of the Year, Sophia Gonzalez was the Defensive Player of the Year, and Adrian Munteanu was selected by his peers as the Coach of the Year. In addition, Sara Hathaway was chosen as the United East Tournament MVP.

Men’s cross-country had a pair of first team recipients, while women’s cross-county placed one member on the second team and another on the third team. Men’s soccer and women’s volleyball each had one student-athlete receive second team recognition.

Last spring, softball had three first team recipients and put two on the second team. Arizona Shreck was named the Player of the Year and Briana Smith was the United East Tournament MVP for the second straight year. Baseball had one first team honoree, while men’s tennis placed five on the second team. Chad Evans was named to the D3Baseball.com Mid-Atlantic Second team.

Berks enjoyed success in the classroom as well, finishing with 74 Nittany Lions earning United East Scholar-Athlete (GPA of 3.40 or higher) honors.

BUILDING A

Photo by Theo Anderson

BY MACKENZIE R, CULLEN

PENN STATE BERKS COMMUNITY PRIORITIZES SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES

SUSTAINABILITY HAS BECOME AN INCREASINGLY important issue for college students, and as the climate crisis continues to evolve, students want to feel like they are having a positive impact on the environment. At Penn State Berks, it’s no exception.

Over the course of the last year, the Penn State Berks community has committed to implementing more sustainable practices around campus, from a sustainable self-care fair, to a campus garden, to environmental outreach projects.

CAMPUS GARDEN & EARTH DAY CELEBRATION

In 2023, the Penn State Berks Sustainability Council debuted its campus garden outside the Thun Library and William G. Hintz Bookstore, featuring five different garden beds containing vegetables, herbs, and wildflowers.

The garden serves multiple purposes around campus – it acts as an outlet for campus and community engagement, serves as an educational space, and mitigates food insecurity for students.

Mahsa Kazempour, associate professor of science education, championed the effort to set up the garden with the help of the Hillkirk Family Endowment for Ethics and Sustainability, established by former Chancellor Keith Hillkirk and his wife, Suzanne. The endowment “provides funds to increase awareness and education, and encourage action among students, faculty and staff, and the community, regarding issues related to ethics and sustainability.”

“We thought the garden would be a nice way of having the campus come together as a community and to make this a collaborative process by involving

Kathy Cavanaugh and her daughter, Hannah Fassbender, vistied the grand opening of the campus garden and added a plant to the garden bed.

faculty, staff, students, as well as the local community. We want to make it interdisciplinary and focus on building community and student engagement,” Kazempour said.

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS & COMMUNITY ACTION PROJECT

Since 2011, Kazempour has taught the college’s Environmental Science course. Students enrolled in the course are required to complete community outreach projects focused on sustainability. As a result, the Environmental Awareness and Community Action Project allows students to research environmental issues on the local, national, or global level and engage in community-based projects to address sustainability issues in the Berks County area.

Kazempour teaches the course with a learner-centered, immersive, and transformative hands-on approach to enhance students’ environmental literacy, understanding of environmental and sustainability-related issues, and engagement in social activism and environmental stewardship.

“This type of learning approach provides students with relevant and contextualized learning experiences as well as ample opportunities for active engagement in their learning, ” explained Kazempour.

The spring 2023 semester projects included shoreline cleanups at Blue Marsh Lake, planting trees at Cacoosing Meadows Park, building and painting garden boxes at Southwest Middle School, and preparing the campus garden, to name a few.

One student on the team, “Yassify the Environment,” commented, “It was a wonderful way to give back to the local community in a fun and interactive way. Bettering people and the environment go hand-in-hand.”

Another student from the group “The Tree Gang” added, “This experience has shown us how easy it is to devote just a little bit of time to help the environment. The little things go a long way, so in a few years when these trees grow, we can see our work flourish and how much it’ll help the community.”

GOALS FOR 2023-24

In the 2023-24 academic year, the Penn State Berks Sustainability Council is shifting its focus to becoming more informed and engaged and to work more collaboratively.

The campus garden, along with the other green structures, will not only begin to deal with issues of food insecurity on campus by making healthy food accessible to students, but also act as a hub for cross-campus and community collaboration focused on teaching, research, and service.

“We will continue to work on initiatives focusing on issues related to sustainability and the intersectionality of environmental, social, and economic justice and equity,” Kazempour said.

This type of learning approach provides students with relevant and contextualized learning experiences as well as ample opportunities for active engagement in their learning.”

A research technologist in the horticulture department gives seeds to a student to plant in the campus garden.

Photo by Theo Anderson

Make a The Mission to

By Lisa R. Baldi

FOR DR. RADHA PYATI, who was named Chancellor of Penn State Berks in July 2023, helping people reach their full potential is her driving force. From her beginnings as a chemistry professor working side-by-side with students on research, to administrative roles where she mentored faculty members, Pyati has a talent for recognizing the potential of others and providing support to help them grow. Now she is doing the same for Penn State Berks.

COMMITMENT TO DEIB

Pyati has learned firsthand about the challenges that female students studying STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects and faculty members teaching these disciplines face in higher education. This is particularly true for students and faculty from underrepresented groups.

She explained that learning to advocate for herself took time and courage, but in the long run, it was empowering.

“There definitely were ways I didn’t fit the mold – I wasn’t what was expected at that time,” she said. “I had to speak up for myself and I had to support other women too. But the more I did that, the more I strengthened that muscle, the easier it got.”

Now she brings that commitment to DEIB to Penn State Berks, one of the University’s most diverse campuses with 30% of students identifying as members of underrepresented groups.

Her goal is for all members of the campus community to know that their voices are heard and their ideas welcomed. “We want everyone to feel like they have a seat at the table where decisions are being made,” said Pyati.

LOVE OF CHEMISTRY AND TEACHING

Growing up in Dayton, Ohio, Pyati was a high school student when she fell in love with chemistry. While she enjoyed the subject matter, she credits one of her teachers for “igniting the spark” inside her.

She earned a baccalaureate degree in chemistry from Ohio State University and a doctorate in chemistry from the University of North Carolina. During her time in graduate school, she also discovered her love of teaching

After completing her doctorate, Pyati pursued both passions by

accepting a position as assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

One of her most poignant memories from her teaching career was mentoring a student from a small town. Pyati explained that this student was bright and hardworking and she excelled in the research lab.

“She did fabulous things,” Pyati said. “She just had a real talent for chemistry.”

At one point, Pyati met a couple of the young woman’s high school teachers. They told her that they knew the student only needed a real opportunity and a college professor who cared enough to guide her to become a success.

“They said, ‘You were the teacher we hoped that she would get,’” Pyati said. “It brought tears to my eyes.”

Pyati has never forgotten that moment and the feeling of knowing she was having a real impact on a student’s life.

“That’s the hallmark of what we do here at Penn State Berks,” she said. “We create those meaningful experiences.”

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP

After her time at the University of Colorado, Pyati moved on to serve in several roles at the University of North Florida (UNF) including chemistry department chair, professor of chemistry, president of the faculty association, and trustee.

But it was her role as director of the Environmental Center at UNF where she made the greatest impact. Pyati was the principal investigator on the “State of the River Report” for Lower St. Johns River Basin. The report informs people living in the area about water quality, aquatic life, fisheries, and contaminants. She was honored with the 2018 City of Jacksonville Environmental

Protection Board Award of Merit for her work on the report.

ADVOCATE FOR STEM EDUCATION

Most recently, Pyati served as dean of the College of Sciences and Mathematics at West Chester University, where she founded West Chester’s Center for STEM Inclusion. The mission of the center is to promote diversity and equity within the College of Sciences and Mathematics and increase access to STEM careers for underrepresented groups.

I’m also enthusiastic about the strong connection between the campus and its community. Knitting a public university to its community has been a great source of joy to me, and I look forward to advancing that endeavor.”

In January 2023, under Pyati’s guidance, the Center of STEM Inclusion received a $716,000 Community Project Funding state grant for a project titled “West Chester University Moon Shot: I Want to STEM (sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics)!”

While at West Chester University, Pyati was also awarded a four-week Fulbright Specialist grant to share chemistry education expertise with the students, faculty, and staff at the University of Đà Nẵng – University of Science and Education in Vietnam, from Dec. 7, 2022 to Jan. 5, 2023.

KNITTING COLLEGE TO ITS COMMUNITY

When asked why she was interested in joining the college, Pyati stated, “The history of Penn State Berks and Berks County drew me to this campus. We certainly are encouraging students to study the sciences,” Pyati said. “Penn State Berks was founded as a polytechnic institute, and we’ve continued that tradition of STEM learning.”

“I’m also enthusiastic about the strong connection between the campus and its community. Knitting a public university to its community

has been a great source of joy to me, and I look forward to advancing that endeavor.”

She added that with its roots in Berks County’s textile industry in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Penn State Berks is firmly established within the community and will continue to play a significant role.

Pyati is a board member of the Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the YMCA of the Greater Brandywine Region, and the Easttown Township Environmental Advisory Council.

Pyati enjoys Penn State Creamery ice cream with students at the Cyber Cafe.

Photo by Theo Anderson.

Chancellor Fun Facts:

If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be?

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Vanita Gupta, and Freeman Hrabowski, President of University of Maryland Baltimore County.

Do you have any hobbies?

Reading, playing piano, playing tennis, traveling, going to musicals and shows with my family.

Who is your most listened-to artist?

What is one thing you’ve learned that you wish you could tell your younger self?

Believe in yourself, your ideas, and your perceptions, and prepare your argument to convince people.

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?

What is your favorite Penn State Creamery Ice cream flavor? What was your first job?

Hawaii, Alaska, and the other five U.S. states I haven’t visited yet. Death by Chocolate.

The Beatles. Their catalog has a song for every occasion in life.

Burger King, when I was 16 years old.

Pyati poses with the Fightin’ Phils mascot before throwing the first pitch for the game.

WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES

Another of Pyati’s goals is to increase the opportunity for students to participate in meaningful experiences such as conducting research and completing internships.

She explained that undergraduate research, conducted alongside a faculty member, is particularly empowering for students because it teaches techniques and methods while encouraging them to actively seek answers to complex questions.

“They realize that people are interested in their work and what they have to say, and that’s exciting and empowering,” Pyati said.

“It’s those experiences that cause students to feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves.”

Penn State Berks faculty members are thrilled to work with students, Pyati adds. Faculty across the college regularly conduct research with students on a wide variety of subject areas.

GETTING PERSONAL

In fact, Pyati stated that the college’s community of talented and dedicated faculty and staff members are one of its greatest assets. “Every student here can find someone who cares about them and wants to help them,” Pyati said.

As Chancellor, she makes a point to get to know students on a personal level, and can be found sharing a meal in Tully’s dining hall, attending athletic events, and helping students to move in to the residence halls.

“I want to make sure students feel like they belong here. This is a place where they can work hard and succeed, but I also want to make sure it’s clear that there’s a lot of fun to be had here. We have a vibrant student community at Penn State Berks,” said Pyati.

Pyati resides in Berwyn, Chester County with her husband and two young daughters.

“ I want to make sure students feel like they belong here. This is a place where they can work hard and succeed, but I also want to make sure it’s clear that there’s a lot of fun to be had here.”

Pyati addresses her mission and goals for Penn State Berks at the annual State-of-the-College meeting.

Chancellor Pyati surprises students by serving dinner at Tully’s on the first day of class.

ARE YOU READY FOR IT?

UNIQUE COURSE EXPLORES TAYLOR SWIFT’S IMPACT AND PORTRAYAL IN THE MEDIA

BY MACKENZIE R. CULLEN

Penn State Berks will offer a new course titled “Taylor Swift, Gender, and Communication” starting in the fall 2024 semester. The class will hold 100 seats with 50 spots reserved for current Berks students and the other 50 spots available for incoming first-year students.

Cross-listed as both a communication arts and sciences and a women’s studies course, it will take the unique approach of examining Swift’s cultural and musical impact and her portrayal in the media, rather than focusing on Swift’s marketing strategies or how her lyrics fit into the literary canon like other courses on the singer.

The course was developed and will be taught by Michele Ramsey, associate professor of communication arts and sciences and of women’s, gender, and sexuality studies. Ramsey’s research interests include representations of gender in the media; women’s rights, social movement, and political rhetoric; and advocacy for the humanities.

A COURSE THAT JUST ‘HITS DIFFERENT’

The course will start with a threeweek overview of the impact music has on personal identities, the historical intersections of music and politics, and gendered expectations of female performers. It will also focus on the career and media treatment of Swift, including subjects such as changes in gendered expectations in shifting from country to pop music, challenges faced by young female musicians as they move from adolescence to adulthood, and the public battles Swift has faced with other celebrities, as well as media representations of those battles that include a tendency to pit successful women against each other.

The class will meet as a whole one day each week to discuss the week’s content. Ramsey also wants to use class time to allow students to connect and build community by completing activities that encourage active learning. Students will break into smaller recitation sections to talk about the week’s readings. At the end of the semester, Ramsey and students plan to hold a communitywide final project to celebrate Swift and what they’ve learned from the course.

Ramsey admittedly hasn’t been a longtime “Swiftie.” However, she took an interest in Swift when she noticed the amplified online criticism of Swift’s songwriting, accusations of her lip syncing, and Swifties dancing in the movie theatres and at her performances — which inspired her to create this course.

“When you watch social media posts on the concerts or “Eras Tour” movie screenings, you see so many important things happening,” Ramsey said. “You see legions of women — grandmothers, moms, young women, teens, tweens, younger girls, and those who don’t fit into our strict social constructions of gender and sex identity — daring to take up space to enjoy something they love together.”

‘LONG STORY SHORT...’

When asked why she wants to teach the class, Ramsey narrowed it down to three reasons.

First, she wants students to understand the ideological power of the media to influence their ideas about who we are and who we want to be. She already does this work in another one of her courses titled, “Identity, Citizenship, and the Rhetoric of American Horror Film.”

Secondly, Ramsey wants to teach the course because of how powerful the messages in Swift’s songs are and how they have evolved since she began her career at 16 years old.

“It’s wonderful that Taylor Swift’s music helps people feel empowered to be who they are, to take up space, and to not allow themselves to be minimized or ridiculed because of who they are. But it’s also the case that it’s equally important to give students a vocabulary so that they can name the feelings and beliefs encouraged by her music.”

Finally, Ramsey is interested in how the messages of Swift’s songs can empower fans to “speak now”

Michele Ramsey developed and will teach the course.

tribulations are linked to how we treat most women in our society. Taylor’s songs speak to generations of people whose stories have not been the center of civilization, movies, TV shows, or music.”

As Swift is a Wyomissing native, Ramsey knows that teaching this course in Swift’s hometown makes it a rare experience for students. The course encourages students to enter their “Berks Era,” studying the importance of something they love and leavng with a better understanding of the expectations and pressures placed on women in our culture. And she plans on making this an experience students will remember “all too well.”

Due to popular demand, additional sections of the course will be offered in a noncredit format by the Office of Continuing Education. For more information, contact the Office of Continuing Education at KXF27@psu.edu or visit berks.psu.edu/CE-TaylorSwift.

Graphic by Jaine DelVecchio

LAUNCHING FORWARD

BERKS LAUNCHBOX CELEBRATES FIFTH ANNIVERSARY IN GOGGLEWORKS CENTER FOR THE ARTS

BY LISA R. BALDI

Since its inception, Berks LaunchBox has made a significant impact on the Berks County community. Over the last five years, Berks LaunchBox has assisted 582 entrepreneurs, taught new skills to 1,100 community members in its Makerspace, offered entrepreneurship classes to 3,800 community members, and impacted 1,042 students (elementary school through college).

Today, Berks LaunchBox is recognized as a valuable resource for entrepreneurs and innovators to help them grow their startups and develop new skills. This year, Berks LaunchBox is celebrating the fifth anniversary of its expansion from Penn State Health St. Joseph’s Downtown Reading Campus to the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts in downtown Reading. The expansion has greatly enhanced its space and capabilities.

An innovation hub of the Invent Penn State initiative, Berks LaunchBox was created through a seed grant in 2016. Its mission is to assist early-stage entrepreneurs and startup companies with accessing the tools and resources they need to launch and grow in Greater Reading.

Every year, the impact of the Berks LaunchBox grows. In 2023 alone, Berks LaunchBox assisted 202 entrepreneurs (42 percent were from underrepresented groups), taught new skills to 479 community members in its Makerspace, offered entrepreneurship classes to 500 community members, and impacted 362 students with free classes and activities. In addition, 16 grants were awarded through Berks LaunchBox and 62 entrepreneurs received assistance developing their prototypes.

“The expansion of Berks LaunchBox into the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts allowed us to engage with our community members more directly in an accessible and innovative way. This partnership has been instrumental in our growth and in meeting our mission to support entrepreneurs while continuing to maintain low barriers to access,” stated Erica Kunkel, director of the Berks LaunchBox and director of continuing education at Penn State Berks.

Jim Hong, Berks LaunchBox Makerspace coordinator, helped the owner of Fourth Trimester, a Launchbox startup, work on a plush toy to support new mothers’ mental health.

FREE CLASSES, WEBINARS, WORKSHOPS, AND EQUIPMENT TRAINING IN MAKERSPACE

Berks LaunchBox holds monthly seminars for entrepreneurs and small-business owners focused on business development, social media marketing, legal issues, intellectual property, pitch presentations, minimum viable products, brainstorming and validating business ideas, customer discovery, and ways a business can pivot to address customer issues. The LaunchBox also offers courses in basic CAD (computer-aided design) and 3D printing, as well as training in the use of its equipment and software through hands-on workshops.

CO-WORKING COMPANIES

Berks LaunchBox offers a rent-free space to co-working companies, allowing them to meet and collaborate with other entrepreneurs and mentors. The companies benefit from 24/7 access to office space for one year, meeting and event space, high-speed Internet, legal support, and LaunchBox advisers. Startups also receive assistance with prototyping and marketing, free monthly seminars, and support from staff.

ADVISERS SUPPORT SUCCESS

In addition to the Berks LaunchBox staff, entrepreneurs benefit from the knowledge and expertise of more than 25 advisers who dedicate time each month to supporting their success. Advisers offer support in a multitude of ways from guidance on accounting principles and software to prototyping.

YOUTH AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH

The LaunchBox staff believes that growing an entrepreneurial mindset in youth helps to develop future entrepreneurs. The LaunchBox has held several events, partnered with area schools, and offered open lab nights for individuals and families with children to design and create items such as 3D-printed and laser-cut snowflakes, custom-engraved coasters, house signs, greeting cards, and more – all in an effort to introduce these technologies and spark creativity and innovation.

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2024

In 2024, the Berks LaunchBox is expanding its Spanish-language programming by including more entrepreneurial education workshops, webinars, networking opportunities, and Makerspace events. The staff is working to secure funding to increase their “Grow Your Startup” grants. Finally, with the addition of two Makerspace coordinators, plans are underway to add Makerspace classes with a focus on hands-on experiences offered in both English and Spanish.

For more information, visit berkslaunchbox.psu.edu or contact Erica Kunkel at 610-396-6221 or via email at ELS5014@psu.edu.

Launchbox startups work to develope new skills to help expand their knowledge.

ENERGIZING THE DRIVE

STUDENT TEAM DEVELOPING EV CHARGING STATIONS RECEIVES AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

BY LISA R. BALDI

Streamline Charging LLC has received national and University-wide awards and recognition for its flexible and affordable electric vehicle (EV) charging solution. Most recently, the VentureWell Accelerator E-Teams Program awarded the team a $20k grant. The team also received a $10k award at the Invent Penn State Inc.U Competition.

Jonathan Smith, CEO and cofounder, explained that Streamline Charging is revolutionizing EV charging with technology that can service five charging spaces per station. He learned of the grant while presenting the startup at the VentureWell OPEN conference in San Diego in March 2024.

“The conference was a lot of fun,” commented Smith. “There are people from all different backgrounds; it was just great to talk to everyone.”

Last year, Streamline Charging was among 22 national teams selected for the VentureWell Accelerator E-Team Program, which supports student ventures. The team was awarded a $5k Pioneer grant and an entrepreneurship training workshop at the Engine, a co-working space in Boston built by Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Propel is the second stage of the VentureWell Accelerator E-Team Program, and in addition to the $20K grant, it provides three months of training focused on supporting teams as they build their business model.

Within the Invent Penn State entrepreneurship ecosystem, Streamline Charging received the second place $10k award from the Inc.U Competition. They were one of six student teams invited to pitch their startup and compete for awards.

Pictured (left to right) are Mark Yazemboski, Braden Ritter, Nathan Vreeland, Sean Magilton, and Zach Schlegel with their charging station.

“We worked all throughout Spring Break,” Smith stated, adding, “It was a great experience and helped us refine our pitch and build connections with fellow Penn State entrepreneurs.”

Earlier this year, Streamline Charging was one of nine early-stage startups accepted into the Happy Valley LaunchBox Spring 2024 FastTrack Accelerator program, which consisted of weekly group meetings, plus one-on-one mentoring from advisers and experts in business, legal, and intellectual property. Teams also had access to a suite of free tools and coworking space at Happy Valley LaunchBox, located in State College. Happy Valley LaunchBox is part of the Invent Penn State initiative.

Streamline Charging began with a small group of Penn State Berks engineering students in the college’s cornerstone engineering design course who later formed a team through a mechanical engineering independent study.

The team enjoyed success at various stages through the course and through the college's Flemming Creativity, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (CEED) Center.

The team completed the CEED Center’s Customer Discovery Lab, which guides teams in verifying their business assumptions and connects budding entrepreneurs with mentors. Then they received an NSF I-Corps microgrant to develop their prototype. They received another seed grant from the CEED Center VentureWell Project titled “Cross-Pollination of STEM Courses to Sustain Entrepreneur Teams Disruptive Technology Solutions.”

Members of Streamline Charging include cofounders Jonathan Smith and Nathan Vreeland and two other Berks students. The team has expanded to include several students from both Berks and University Park campuses.

Their engineering faculty mentor is Kathleen Hauser, assistant teaching professor of engineering, and their business faculty mentor is Sadan Kulturel-Konak, professor of management information systems and the director of the CEED Center.

“Penn State Berks is an amazing hub of entrepreneurial cultural and resources,” stated Smith. "The Flemming CEED Center, Dr. Sadan

Kulturel-Konak, and Professor Kathleen Hauser allowed us to accelerate our project through mentorship, workspace, and access to grants and funding. We also never would have met many of our closest advisers and friends, including our mentors.”

What’s next for Steamline Charging? They plan to have a completed EV charging system ready for market by July 2024.

Jonathan Smith, CEO and cofounder Streamline Charging LLC “ “

Penn State Berks is an amazing hub of entrepreneurial cultural and resources.

Pictured (left to right) Kathleen Hauser, assistant teaching professor of engineering; John Gatto, principal and CEO of JGO Services LLC; and Jonathan Smith, Streamline Charging LLC with Streamline Charging's half-scale prototype.

TAKING HEALTH SERIOUSLY

BERKS PROFESSOR COAUTHORS INTERNATIONAL PAPER ON HYPERTENSION PREVENTION GUIDELINES

Praveen Veerabhadrappa, associate professor of kinesiology, was selected to serve on a panel of 43 scientists from 18 countries convened by the International Society of Hypertension (ISH) College of Experts to review research on new directions in hypertension prevention and develop recommendations that individuals can apply to their own lives. The resulting paper titled “Lifestyle management of hypertension” was published in the Journal of Hypertension, the official journal of both ISH and the European Society of Hypertension. Since its publication in September 2023, the paper has received international media attention.

Veerabhadrappa spoke with us about his research and what people can do to help prevent hypertension.

Q: Why should people be concerned about hypertension?

PV: Hypertension, a condition in which blood pressure is persistently increased, is the leading risk factor for heart disease, the main cause of death worldwide, as well as other serious health issues. Hypertension affects more than 1.4 billion people and contributes to more than 28,000 deaths each day. While initially, it does not cause any symptoms, if left untreated it can also lead to stroke, heart attack, kidney disease, vision loss, and dementia.

Q: What is your area of research regarding hypertension?

PV: My research focuses on incorporating ambulatory blood pressure monitoring for a 24-hour period. This is what we call “real-world blood pressure.” My student research group works in the Berks Cardiovascular Exercise Physiology Lab to study the cardio-metabolic

effects of sedentary behavior using wearables, such as a Fitbit, to track activity and sleep among students. We have seen that most college students don’t meet the physical activity guidelines set by the American College of Sports Medicine. We are also noticing that inactivity levels, inadequate sleep, and mental health issues have compounded after the recent global pandemic.

Q: What were your contributions to the ISH paper on hypertension?

PV: I was tasked with contributing to the physical activity section based on my expertise in cardiovascular exercise physiology. We know that an inactive lifestyle can lead to high blood pressure. By engaging in regular physical exercise, many can efficiently manage blood pressure. It is important to increase aerobic exercise to meet the current recommendation of 150 to 300 minutes of physical activity per week performed at moderate

Praveen Veerabhadrappa often works with students on research projects. He and Arizona Schreck, a senior kinesiology major, have worked together on a variety of projects including studying heart rate variability using wearable devices.

intensity, such as brisk walking, or 75 to 150 minutes at vigorous intensity, such as jogging. The aerobic exercise must be combined with resistance or muscle strengthening exercise on at least two nonconsecutive days each week. In addition, incidental activity, defined as unplanned movement that we do over the course of the day — such as stair climbing or active housework — is separate from intentional exercise and has a lot of health benefits.

Q: What are some of the key implications of the paper?

PV: The research indicates that new directions in prevention, in addition to more traditional methods, could be used as an effective first-line defense against hypertension. While physical exercise has been a traditional recommendation, isometric resistance exercise — which involves the static contraction of a muscle without any visible movement in the angle of the joint — also has a preventative effect.

Other lifestyle management recommendations show that stress reduction techniques such as listening to music,

mindfulness practice, meditation, and yoga should be recommended. People should also be advised to get quality sleep and reduce their exposure to air pollution. The paper highlights these strategies alongside longstanding recommendations to maintain a healthy weight, exercise regularly, minimize sedentary behavior, eat a healthy diet, reduce consumption of salt, stop smoking, and limit or stop alcohol consumption.

Q: Why did you decide to pursue this field of research?

PV: I was motivated by family members who suffer from hypertension, including my father and grandparents. As a young adult growing up in India, I would often accompany my grandparents to the physician for the condition. I wanted to be on the front line in the fight against hypertension, so after completing my undergraduate work, I earned both my master’s and doctoral degrees in exercise physiology at Temple University. Since that time, I have dedicated my professional career to finding ways to help people live longer, healthier lives through exercise.

GRANTING OPPORTUNITY FOR CHANGE

PENN STATE BERKS AWARDED $1.6M GRANT FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAM

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency recently awarded the college a $1.62 million grant to establish a youth violence intervention and prevention program, which will serve youth ages 14 to 21 in Berks County. Objectives include working with community partners to identify youth who are at-risk of committing violence, as well as violence “peacemakers.” The multi-year grant will run through 2025.

Ebonie Cunningham Stringer, associate professor of criminal justice, is the principal investigator on the grant along with co-investigator Laurie Grobman, distinguished professor of English and women’s studies.

“Not One More: Child Lost to Violence” was created to facilitate work on the grant. Stringer and Grobman are working in collaboration with Edna Garcia-DiPini, executive director of RIZE Above Bars, a nonprofit youth organization in Berks County.

Stringer said that she is motivated to continue to refine evidence-based models that other cities can use to eradicate violence. She is also interested in getting religious and civic organizations and businesses invested in the fight against community violence.

“These are often underutilized resources, and it’s going to take the entire village to protect children from gun violence,” she said.

Grobman has taken on the primary role of collecting and sharing the community’s stories about violence. She explained that people need to hear stories about how violence impacts members of the community in both direct and indirect ways.

For more information about the violence intervention and prevention program, contact Stringer at 610-396-6018 or via email at ECS296@psu.edu.

Pictured (left to right) are Ebonie Cunningham Stringer, Laurie Grobman, and Edna Garcia-DiPini.

RESEARCH

NEW VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE

PROFESSOR TELLS STORIES OF MALAYSIAN WWII SURVIVORS IN VR/DIGITAL EXHIBIT

“As soon as the British left, the Japanese arrived … These Japanese soldiers set up a camp … and would raid homes looking for food, goods, and women. This first wave of soldiers … was known as ‘suicide squads,’ as they were frontline military. They were brutal.”

This is the story of Cheryl Nicholas’ father, who was a child during the Japanese invasion of Malaysia during World War II. Stories like this inspired Nicholas, associate professor of communication arts and sciences and global studies at Penn State Berks, to document other stories of Malaysian WWII survivors.

In 2023, Nicholas and Heidi Mau, a professor at Albright College, led a team of students on the creation of a virtual reality (VR) / digital exhibition titled “Malaysian WWII Oral Histories: A Digital Experience” at the Perak Museum in Taiping, Perak, Malaysia, which opened on Aug. 15 to a crowd of more than 3,000 attendees, including government ministers.

“The exhibition was inspired by my father and grandfather, who told me about their experiences during the Japanese occupation when I was very young and did not appreciate them in the way I do today,” Nicholas said.

“I conducted oral history interviews with over 20 people starting in 2013 … and now, 10 years later, here I am with this exhibit, and with only five of the WWII survivors [who participated in the oral histories] still living. These are stories not shared in history books as they were the stories of ordinary people.”

Penn State’s Center for Immersive Experiences handled the VR build and design. The group was also

comprised of a Penn State Berks student research team, which included Chantel Bennett, Kimberly Nicholas, Aaliss Osidele, Avery Rivera, and Jaymi Smith.

Students from the team visited Malaysia during spring break of 2023 to take panoramic images and collect historical data. They returned to Malaysia to set up the exhibition and train museum staff to use the VR systems.

The digital component utilized mobile VR and 360-point movement technologies navigable using Oculus Meta Quest 2, which visitors used to take a virtual walkthrough of a Malaysian home during the time of the occupation.

Guests also watched a pre-recorded 360-point tour of the home, which allowed them to move around and click on highlighted items which opened short videos. Visitors viewed the VR world and the short video vignettes on a large monitor and iPads that were set up as part of the exhibition.

Along with the VR exhibition, the team created a short booklet featuring the oral histories.

This project was made possible with funding from the Penn State Student Engagement Network Travel Grants, Institute for Computational and Data Sciences Seed Grant, Alumni Fellow Award, and the Mrs. Harold McI. Grout and Mrs. C. Glenn Kauffman Endowment for the Arts.

For more information on the “Malaysian WWII Oral Histories: A Digital Experience” exhibition, contact Nicholas at cnic@psu.edu.

Student researcher Chantel Bennett tests the Oculus Meta Quest 2 and mobile virtual reality technology before the opening of the exhibition.

LOOKING AHEAD

TWO PROGRAMS BRIDGE GAP FOR INCOMING ENGINEERING STUDENTS

Penn State Berks is helping a future generation of engineering students succeed through two exciting initiatives: the Engineering Ahead Program and the LION STEM Scholars Program. Both programs make earning an engineering degree more accessible to underserved students.

ENGINEERING AHEAD

The goal of this four-week summer “bridge” program is to increase retention rates among a diverse group of engineering students by enhancing academic preparedness and developing a support network.

Ryan Hassler, Engineering Ahead coordinator and teaching professor of mathematics, explained, “Engineering jobs are in very high demand, however there are not enough graduates to fill the need. The problem is two-fold: recruitment and retention.”

Students planning to major in one of the college’s ABET-accredited degrees – electro-mechanical engineering technology or mechanical engineering –or in any of Penn State’s engineering degrees, come from the surrounding area and beyond to apply for a seat in the program.

Participants have an opportunity to meet fellow engineering students; attend workshops on study skills, time management, and career planning; and get to know the campus and the professors. They attend presentations by engineering alumni and community leaders and they tour local industries.

Aaron Smith commented, “I decided to apply to this program because I heard it would give me a leg up on my college journey. It has prepared me for college-level math and has given me some direction for obtaining an internship.”

LION STEM SCHOLARS PROGRAM

This year, seven incoming students were awarded a scholarship to study engineering through the college’s Leveraging Innovation and Optimizing Nurturing (LION) STEM Scholars Program.

Penn State Berks received a $750,000 grant from the National Science Foundation’s Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics program in January 2022. The grant was used to create the LION STEM Scholars Program, which provides a four-year, renewable $6,250 scholarship to talented engineering students with demonstrated financial need. Students who meet the requirements receive $25,000 over four years.

The main goal of the LION STEM Scholars Program is to enhance the STEM workforce by graduating more diverse high-achieving students. Awardees receive support through the Engineering Ahead program.

“Even before entering college, the LION STEM Scholars Program has opened multiple doors for me,” said Carlos Nunez-Fabian. “As I begin my academic career, I know that with the resources from this program and the support of the staff and faculty, I’ll be able to succeed.”

Ryan Hassler is the principal investigator on the grant, along with other faculty and staff co-investigators at Berks and University Park campuses. The team will collect data to analyze how curricular and co-curricular activities influence STEM identity.

“The financial support provided by the National Science Foundation will be nothing short of a life-changer for those who might otherwise not be able to afford higher education,” stated Hassler.

This year’s class of LION STEM Scholars includes (left to right) Jose Santos (back row), Alexander Maldonado, Calos Nunez-Fabian, Jada Negron, Kaylee Garcia-Foster, Amar Alford, and Giovannie Perez.

2023

ANGELINA BOONE, B.S. in Business, is employed as OnGuard collections portal specialist for North America with Rentokil Terminix. She gave birth to a son, Charlie, in 2023.

LESTINE PAYE, B.S. in Business, published an ebook titled The Art of Resilience: Thriving in Times of Adversity, which discusses the importance of developing resilience. This eBook is insppired by the belief that everyone has the ability to not only weather life's storms but to florish in the face of adversity.

2022

JA’NIQUE JULES, B.A. in Writing and Digital Media and B.A. in Political Science , is employed as a staff assistant with U.S. Rep. Jim Himes. She returned to campus in the fall 2023 to deliver the keynote address at the Pennsylvania Student Journalism Competition.

2020

JAYMI SMITH, B.A. in Global Studies, was accepted into the United States Peace Corps. In October 2023, she traveled to Timor-Leste to work as a community economic development facilitator.

TYLER WACKLEY, B.S. in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, and Jade Wackley welcomed their first child, Elsie Mae Wackley, on October 17, 2023.

2019

NATHAN BONSLAVER, B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, founded CarToCamp, a line of car sleeping platforms, as a student. In 2023, he was selected as one of six founders to participate in Invent Penn State’s Summer Founders Program.

CELIA TORRES, B.A. in Applied Psychology, coedited a two-volume book with Brenda Russell titled Perceptions of Female Offenders: How Stereotypes and Social Norms Affect Criminal Justice Responses. Celia also earned a master’s degree in Forensic Psychology at George Washington University,

ERIK AVIS, B.S. in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, and KATARINA (ZAMBANINI) AVIS, ’16, B.A. in Communication Arts & Sciences, welcomed a baby boy, Levi Maxwell Avis, on December 27, 2023

2018

SYDNEY (DRAYER) ACKER, B.S. in Kinesiology, and JOHN ACKER, B.S. in Kinesiology , were married on August 13, 2023. Sydney is employed as the general manager of Wyomissing Fitness

TYLER FARINA, B.S. in Elementary & Early Childhood Education, and Peyton DeLucio married on November 4, 2023.

COURTENEY (KEUSCHER) HAHN, B.S. in Business, and DILLAN HAHN, ’21, B.S. in Science, were married in May 2022. Courteney attended law school at Mitchell Hamline School of Law in St. Paul, Minn. She passed the Pennsylvania bar exam in October 2023 and is practicing family law as an associate attorney at Greg Henry Law Firm in Reading, Pa.

2017

MIKE SERAGO, B.S. in Information Sciences & Technology, and KAILAH ORTIZ, B.S. in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, married on November 11, 2023. Both Mike and Kailah went on to earn their master’s degrees in Management Organizational Leadership from University Park. &

2014

2012

MELISSA (SAUER) WOLFE, B.S. in Elementary & Early Childhood Education, and Matt Wolfe welcomed a baby boy, Hayden Frederick Wolfe, on November 23, 2023. ,

SHERITTA COLEBURN, B.S. in Information Sciences & Technology, and Kahleil Blair welcomed a baby boy, Jayce Kai, on January 26, 2023.

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IN MEMORIAM

2022

RYAN VARNES

’21 Berks, Syracuse, NY – July 22.

CLIFFORD R. MAURER | 1944 - 2022 | Sept. 29

For 21 years, Clifford Maurer served as Lecturer in Information Technology. Previously, he was employed as Director of Information Systems at Buckeye Pipeline. Maurer earned his bachelor’s degree from Bloomsburg University and his master’s from Penn State. He resided in Kutztown with his wife of 55 years, Diane. They had three children and four grandchildren.

DENNIS HATT

’59 WPI, Cumru Twp., Pa. – Nov. 3.

JACK BRAUN | 1954 - 2022 | Dec. 15

For 15 years, Jack Braun worked in Maintenance and Operations. Previously he was a Chemical Operator at Crompton & Knowels. He was active in the Lower Alsace Fire Company. Braun resided with his wife, Dorothy. He had three children and seven grandchildren.

2023

KAREN KOCHAN

’72 Berks, Pottstown, Pa. – Jan. 5.

JEAN “JON” DE PERROT

’50 WPI, Lititz, Pa. – Jan. 10.

ERIC GREISIGER

’94 Berks, Wayne, Pa. – Jan. 13.

MARGARET BIEGE

’98 Berks, Chester Springs, Pa. – Jan. 18.

ROBERT WILLIAM FREDERIK CIFERRI

1955 - 2023 | JAN. 28

Robert Ciferri worked in Maintenance and Operations. He earned an associate degree in Information Sciences and Technology at Penn State Berks. He and his family established the Ciferri First-Year Writing Award in honor of his daughter, Jacquelyn, who died in a tragic car accident during her first year at the college. He resided with his wife, Susan. They had three children and one grandchild.

WALTER SADOWSKI

’57 WPI, Mohnton, Pa. – Feb. 18.

ROBERT CHRISTMAN

’76 Berks, Blandon, Pa. – Feb. 27.

BRYAN FRANCO

Attended Berks ’16 - ’17, Reading, Pa. – Mar. 1.

BONNIE MOSER

’10 Berks LPN, Hamburg, Pa. – Mar. 7.

WALTER MAZURKIEWICZ ’70 Berks, Ephrata, Pa. – April 15.

RODNEY BARRELL ’77 Berks, Kutztown, Pa. – July 14.

ANTHONY BROPHY

’23, Berks, New Brunswick, NJ. – Nov. 3.

LEROY HILL

’52 WPI, Reading, Pa. – July 26.

JARED CARNES

’17 Berks, Lancaster, Pa. – Sept. 28.

GEORGE GROSS JR.

’64 Berks, Pa. – Nov. 3.

DAVID BURKEY

’75 Berks, Mt. Pleasant, Pa. – Dec. 17.

2024

THOMAS HUGH GAVIGAN | 1947- 2024 | Feb. 15

Born in Ireland, Thomas Gavigan earned his bachelor’s from Drexel University and his master’s degree in Engineering at Penn State. For 32 years, he served as an Assistant Professor of Engineering. Previously, he designed nuclear power plants with Bechtel Power Corp. He served as an adviser for the college’s Baja SAE automotive design team. He resided in Reading, Pa with his wife, Miriam. He had three children and four grandchildren.

XUANYI “WILL” ZHU | 2003-2024 | Feb. 17

Attended Berks ’22 - ’24

Zhu, a sophomore from Portland, Oregon, was killed in a tragic automobile accident near campus. He is remembered as a joyful, kind, and happy student.

THIS PUBLICATION IS AVAILABLE IN ALTERNATIVE MEDIA ON REQUEST.

The University is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission and employment for all persons. It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information or political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University’s educational mission, and will not be tolerated. Direct all inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policy to the Affirmative Action Office, The Pennsylvania State University, 328 Boucke Building, University Park, PA 16802-5901, Email: aao@psu.edu, Tel (814) 863-0471. UBR BKO 24-16

Photo by Theo Anderson