Anderson Presented With Behrend Medallion

INFORMATION OFFICER FOR GE, was recently presented with the Behrend Medallion, the college’s highest award, given to individuals who have brought honor to their profession, their community, and themselves.

Anderson leads GE’s Digital Technology organization and previously served as CIO of GE Power and GE Transportation. She joined GE’s Computer Management Program in 1984, after graduating from Alfred University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. She subsequently earned an MBA from Penn State Behrend in 1997.

Anderson served as GE’s Penn State executive for more than five years. During that period, the company sponsored more than $11 million in projects with the University. In 2013, she was named an Alumni Fellow, the most prestigious honor given by the Penn State Alumni Association. In 2017, Anderson created a Trustee Matching Scholarship for students in financial need.

“Nancy Anderson exemplifies our vision of what a Behrend graduate can be,” Chancellor Ralph Ford said. “She is a first-generation college student who has gone on to succeed in a highly competitive, global field. She serves as a role model for women in technology, and she demonstrates genuine care and concern for others on both personal and professional levels.”

Penn State Behrend’s 2022-23 Speaker Series launched in October with a program featuring former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, who discussed the war in Ukraine and the best path to peace in eastern Europe. November’s program featured Martina Edwards, the first Black woman to hold a seat at the New York Stock Exchange, who addressed a widening racial wealth gap.

Spring 2023 speakers will be Brendan Hunt, actor and co-creator of Ted Lasso, who will visit the college on Monday, February 13, and Wanjiku “Wawa” Gatheru, environmental justice advocate and founder of Black Girl Environmentalist, on Thursday, March 23. The public is invited to attend. For more information, visit behrend.psu.edu/speakerseries.

Two Penn State Behrend faculty members—Dr. Jeremiah Keyes, assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, and Dr. Dr. Jeremiah Keyes Lena Surzhko Harned, associate teaching professor of political science—were featured in the annual 40 Under 40 Issue of the Erie Reader, an alternative monthly newspaDr. Lena Surzhko Harned per in Erie. Also highlighted were alumnus Alex Sphon ’11 and current Behrend Marketing student Liam O’Brien. The 40 Under 40 issue recognizes young innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders shaping the future of Erie. Read about the entire class of 2022 at eriereader.com.

JOSEPH PRISCHAK, a longtime supporter of Penn State Behrend and its students, died Saturday, May 21. He was 91.

Prischak grew up on a Crawford County dairy farm and launched his own toolmaking business, Triangle Tool Co., while in his 20s. He founded Plastek in Erie in 1971, serving as president and chief executive until his retirement in 2002. Today, the Plastek Group is a worldwide manufacturer with more than 2,500 employees.

In the 1980s, Prischak was instrumental in creating the Plastics Engineering Technology Program at Behrend. The program, which has produced more than 1,200 graduates, is one of just four nationwide to be accredited by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET.

With separate $1 million gifts, Prischak and his wife, Isabel, created two scholarships for Penn State Behrend students. The Prischak Building on campus—originally home to the plastics program and now part of Behrend’s Science Complex—stands as evidence of Prischak’s commitment to the college and its students.

MARY BETH MCCARTHY, former director of the Academic and Career Planning Center, died July 24 at 67.

McCarthy, a Pittsburgh native, joined Behrend in 1980 as the financial aid and placement coordinator after earning an undergraduate degree in psychology and a master’s degree in counseling. What she expected to be a “blip on her radar” turned into a thirty-four-year career. She was one of the first female leaders at the college, blazing the trail for many more to follow.

McCarthy had a warm presence and a genuine interest in other people. As a career counselor, she helped thousands of students take the next step in their professional lives. She also volunteered her time at schools, educating young people on purposeful gardening and environmental stewardship.

Dr. Melanie D. Hetzel-Riggin, a clinical psychologist with more than twenty years of experience in teaching, research, and community outreach, is the new director of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Hetzel-Riggin, professor of psychology, has taught in the school since 2013 and had served as associate director since 2021. She previously served as chair of the psychology program and coordinator of the college’s Master of Arts in Applied Clinical Psychology.

Why did you want to be director of the school?

My professional career has been about helping people. As a teacher, I have helped my students learn and grow into themselves. As a psychologist, I have helped clients develop skills to improve their lives. As a community mental health researcher, I have helped build community coalitions to address many of society’s problems. In becoming director, I am now able to help our school’s students, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders in new, more expansive ways.

What are the initiatives you want to focus on first?

One of my primary initiatives is to work with faculty, staff, and other key stakeholders to tell our school’s story—to students and parents, new faculty and staff, donors and friends, and community partners.

I also want to promote themes common across the disciplines in our school. Most of our majors emphasize the importance of critical thinking, communication skills, and the development of global perspectives. I want to work with our faculty, students, and other stakeholders to create curricula and student engagement experiences that promote these themes.

Why are the humanities, social sciences, and arts important today?

We are living in challenging times—dealing with the effects of a worldwide pandemic, climate change, social unrest, and violence in many forms. Studying the humanities, social sciences, and arts gives us insight into the factors that have led us to where we are now and how we can address the challenges we face—how we can use the shared experiences of the past to create a better future for all of us.

Hometown: Whitewater, Wisconsin. Family: Ella, 14, and Gabe, 11. Pets: A clowder of cats, guinea pigs, a turtle, and a gecko. First Job: McDonald’s. I have also been a dental assistant, mail sorter, humane society staff member, and history reenactor. Hobbies: I’m an avid reader, and I love going to the beach and zoos. Guilty Pleasure: Rita’s Italian Ice gelatos. Advice for incoming students: College is a time for exploration, so take classes that sound interesting to you. Join a club, develop a radio show, write for the newspaper. Volunteer.

BLACK SCHOOL OF BUSINESS A SMART INVESTMENT

Ernie, a beloved “staff member” in the college’s Personal Counseling Office, died this summer. Ernie, an Affenpinscher, was a certified therapy dog that traveled to work every day with his “mom,” Sue Daley, director of Personal Counseling. He brought comfort and smiles to many students, staff, and faculty during his tenure. It seemed fitting to have a dog on campus, as the Behrends themselves were dog lovers and breeders. While small in stature, Ernie had a big presence. He will be missed.

Leave it to Dr. Arpan Yagnik, associate professor of advertising and an expert on creativity, to think outside the box when it comes to providing more affordable learning materials for his students. Yagnik was recently accepted Dr. Arpan Yagnik into Penn State’s Affordable Course Transformation program for faculty who want to transform a course to replace the use of higher-cost published material with pedagogically sound yet affordable content available for under $50.

“It’s a great program aimed at utilizing technology and open resources for enhanced learning,” Yagnik said. “My end goal is to author an open textbook with high-impact, learning-rich assignments that supplement class discussions and readings.

“Creativity is a skill, and skills are better learned by doing than by reading,” he said. “I want to author a book with a lot of exercises and activities to help students hone their creativity.”