Behrend Magazine Spring/Summer 2023

From the CHANCELLOR

Prepared to Succeed and Ready to Lead

When I address graduating seniors at commencement ceremonies, I always make sure to tell them this: While they may be feeling apprehensive about moving on to a new stage in their lives, I don’t share in their trepidation.

When I say that, I’m not downplaying their fears of a future yet to be revealed. Rather, I want them to know that—despite any angst they may be feeling as they leap into a new life—I have every confidence that they will succeed.

I feel assured that our students have been prepared through their coursework, their Open Lab learning, their leadership experiences, their out-of-class activities, and the connections they have made during their time at Behrend.

Not that I need further confirmation of our students’ bright prospects, but if I did, I could look no further than the profiles of graduating seniors that we publish each spring on our Behrend Blog (behrendblog.com).

There, you’ll meet a host of young people who exemplify our Vision of a Behrend Graduate— individuals who have learned, to quote our vision, “to build opportunities out of challenges, competence out of curiosity, and proficiency out of potential.” They speak about taking responsibility, stretching yourself, and living intentionally.

In her advice to first-year students, MollyAnne Lloyd says, “You are the only one responsible for your own success. Own it and take pride in what you do because you are the only one who can make your dreams come true.”

Savannah Carr weighs in with, “I define what makes me successful, and I define what is a good life. So I try to wake up every day grateful for the opportunities I have been given and try to be a better person than I was yesterday.”

What might be most refreshing is the idea resonating throughout the students’ profiles of the importance of creating a life that has meaning for oneself—and for others.

As Lydia Glenn put it, “I think a good life is finding something you’re passionate about and turning it into a career. I also believe that everyone should strive to make the world a better place and use their brains and skills for good.” For Seth Myers, the definition of a good life is straightforward enough: “Enjoying what you do while having a positive impact on others in some way or another.”

As we send another class of graduates out in the world, it is gratifying to consider the part that Penn State Behrend has played in shaping their futures—and a reminder of our responsibility to future generations of Behrend students.

Chancellor Ralph Ford rmf7@psu.edu

On the cover

The new Erie Hall, which opened in February, is the culmination of eighteen months of construction and more than a decade of planning and preparation. The $28.2 million project was funded in part by Behrend students, who contributed nearly forty percent of the project cost, with funds from the Student Initiated Fee. The 52,700-square-foot building features a three-court gymnasium, fitness and aerobics rooms, and much more. Read all about it on pages 6-7 and 22-23.

Ann Scott Presented with Mary Behrend Impact Award

Ann K. Scott, recently retired community outreach manager for Erie Insurance Group, is the recipient of the inaugural Mary Behrend Impact Award, presented by Penn State Behrend’s Women’s Engagement Council (WEC).

The award was established to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions, directly or indirectly, to advance the purpose of WEC, namely to support and lift women by supporting programs related to women, to the college, and to the greater Erie community. Scott was honored with the award at a luncheon in Behrend’s Lilley Library in March.

“Ann’s professional accomplishments, personal philanthropic commitment, and dedication to student mentorship exemplify the spirit of Mary Behrend,” said Priscilla Hamilton ’73, a WEC board member who chaired the award committee. “Her contributions reflect Mary’s spirit of generosity, which created Penn State Behrend.”

Scott earned her bachelor’s degree in Communication from Behrend in 1982 and an MBA from the college’s Black School of Business in 1999. She

joined Erie Insurance in 1982 and before her retirement in May, managed a philanthropic budget of nearly $5 million and led charitable giving and community outreach efforts through Erie Insurance’s Giving Network.

Scott is the chair of Behrend’s Council of Fellows, the first woman to hold that position. She also served previously as an executive-in-residence for the Black School of Business. She has

been honored by the Boys & Girls Club of Erie for her integrity and impact on the community, and in 2012, she was recognized as a Woman Making History by the Mercy Center for Women, for her support of women and young people.

“I’m honored to be counted among the many strong, kind, and influential women in the Behrend community, including the remarkable Mary Behrend who began it all,” Scott said.

MID-CAREER SWITCHEROO? A college degree prepares you not just for your chosen discipline, but for a lot of other paths you might take as well. Did you make a major career change after the age of 40? Behrend Magazine would love to hear about it. What were you doing? Why did you decide to change lanes? How did you make the switch, and how is it going now? Email hjc13@psu.edu. Be sure to include your graduation year and degree. Photos are encouraged!

New Functional Data Analytics Program Offered Through World Campus

Project RESOLVE Strategy Advances

As part of its land-grant mission, Penn State Behrend has long been a driver of economic development in the Erie region. Our newest initiative, Project RESOLVE, represents the most visionary effort yet to strengthen the competitiveness of Erie’s manufacturing base.

The project centers on a strategy for shifting the region’s plastics, metal-casting, and transportation industries to a circular economic model to address plastics and waste pollution that ultimately affects the health of freshwater sources such as Lake Erie. Companies in these three sectors represent 17 percent of all manufacturing jobs in the Erie region.

Project RESOLVE was proposed by Behrend at the encouragement of Erie County Council as a task force of Council members and community leaders was developing a framework for allocation of American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds.

As the management and use of data continues to grow in importance in our society, professionals who are fluent in data analytics are becoming more and more in demand. Positions in the data analysis field are expected to grow 36 percent between 2021 and 2031, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

To help meet that need, Penn State Behrend is now offering a new 122-credit undergraduate degree program online through World Campus that combines communications, problem-solving, and technology to prepare students for data analytics work in the professional world. The program will also be offered in person at Behrend beginning in the fall of 2024.

The program aims to prepare students with interdisciplinary skills in math, science, communication, and computers to understand and present data in written, visual, and spoken formats. The program centers around core data concepts and techniques and allows students to customize their applied learning paths through concentrations and a two-semester capstone project.

Students will be taught by faculty from all four of Behrend’s academic schools: Black School of Business, Engineering, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Science.

“The challenge was to identify a project that could create a multiplier effect, catapulting the economy forward,” said Dr. Amy Bridger, senior director of corporate strategy and external engagement. “Project RESOLVE builds on our decades of experience engaging with business, industry and community partners. Leading a coalition of about 80 partners, we envision this effort will transform a significant portion of our local manufacturing sector.”

With funding from Erie County and Pennsylvania’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) and an investment by Penn State, the first phase of the project—the construction of a Center for Manufacturing Competitiveness—has begun. The center, to be located in Penn State Behrend’s Knowledge Park, will include plastics and metal-casting research labs and a heavy-haul battery testing facility. To learn more about Project RESOLVE, visit behrend.psu.edu/ resolve.

Behrend Alumna Honored With Award

Nicole (Frisbee) Gailey ’10 was chosen to receive one of seven Penn State Alumni Achievement Awards for 2023 The award recognizes alumni thirty-five years of age and younger for outstanding professional accomplishments.

Gailey is the director of R&D and Innovation PMO Americas for Trivium Packaging, focusing on the next generation of metal packaging solutions. She and her team are charged with discovering, evaluating, and designing new technologies, materials and graphics that can lead to developing new products, improving existing products, and furthering product differentiation.

Before working in the packaging industry, Gailey held roles in engineering design, measurement and integrity, technical project management, operational excellence, and quality for TechnipFMC (formerly FMC Technologies).

“We are proud to see Nicole recognized for her achievements,” said Behrend Chancellor Ralph Ford. “She epitomizes everything we envision in a Behrend graduate—not only successful and passionate in her career, but also committed to lifelong learning and giving back to her community.”

Gailey graduated from Penn State Behrend with a degree in mechanical engineering and a minor in operations and supply chain management. She earned a master’s degree in engineering management from Gannon University, where she is currently pursuing a doctorate in organizational learning and leadership. A standout soccer player at Behrend, she was inducted into the Penn State Behrend Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019.

Since 2005, about 100 accomplished young alumni—ten of them Penn State Behrend graduates—have received the Alumni Achievement Award.

New public shows at Yahn Planetarium

Yahn Planetarium in Penn State Behrend’s Science Complex has new public show hours on Saturdays: a 10:00 a.m. childrens’ show, and an 11:30 a.m. show for general audiences. Admission fees are $5 for adults, $3 for kids ages 12 and under. Penn State employees, students, and all children under age 2 are free.

Have a group—school, hobby, social—that wants to visit the planetarium? You can schedule a private showing and choose from a large catalog of presentations.

Visit behrend.psu.edu/yahnplanetarium or call 814-8987268 for show descriptions and ticket information.

Chancellor Ralph Ford with Nicole (Frisbee) Gailey ’10.

IN MEMORIAM

David Grzelak, retired chairman and CEO of Komatsu America Corporation who was closely connected to Penn State Behrend, died Monday, December 26, 2022. He was 73.

Grzelak began his academic career at Behrend, earning his bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering at University Park in 1971. As a student at Behrend, he was a standout tennis player, recognized by his induction into Behrend’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1992.

Grzelak was a recipient of the Outstanding Alumnus Award from Penn State and the Alumni Fellow Award, the highest recognition given by the Penn State Alumni Association. He served as a member and director of Behrend’s Council of Fellows.

When Grzelak retired from Komatsu America in 2013, he did so with the distinction of being the longestserving chairman and CEO in the company’s history.

Dr. Gary Lyons, retired Erie cardiovascular surgeon and longstanding friend of Penn State Behrend, died February 11, at 88.

Lyons began his college education at Penn State Behrend, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in pre-medicine from University Park in 1956. He subsequently earned his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh Medical School and a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. In the early 1970s, he established the open-heart program at Erie’s Saint Vincent Health Center and served for many years as the hospital’s chief of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery.

Lyons was a recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Penn State and the Alumni Fellow Award, the highest honor given by the Penn State Alumni Association.

Dr. Bruce Wittmershaus, an associate professor emeritus of physics, died March 30 while traveling with his wife, Janice, in Cuba. He was 66.

Wittmershaus earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from Franklin & Marshall College and a doctorate from the University of Rochester. He joined Behrend in 1995 and was a cornerstone of the physics program, helping guide its development through the years.

In the classroom, Wittmershaus had a reputation for patience, fairness, and kindness. He was also an accomplished researcher. Among his faculty colleagues, Wittmershaus was well respected, serving as a mentor and role model, according to Dr. Marty Kociolek, director of the School of Science. His positive attitude and pleasant demeanor were inspiring to the Behrend community.

Jon Meckley, associate professor emeritus of engineering in plastics engineering technology, died at his home on April 1. He was 63.

Meckley had a long history with Behrend, first as a student and then as a faculty member, before retiring in 2022. He earned both an associate degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology and bachelor’s degrees in MET and PLET from Behrend, before earning a master’s degree from the University of Massachusetts.

For more than two decades, Meckley organized and led international trips for PLET majors to many countries. He was hardworking but also fun-loving. As much as he enjoyed a good practical joke, he was serious about student success, leaving an indelible mark on scores of PLET students he helped guide to success.

CHECK OUT THE NEW ERIE HALL

TAKE A TOUR!

Take a tour of Erie Hall at Parents, Families, and Alumni Weekend, scheduled for September 29 through October 1. Come get a firsthand look at this first-class facility!

If anyone needed proof that the new Erie Hall was much needed and is being well received, know this: On the day the building opened in February, a line of students had already formed outside the entrance before 7:00 a.m. Behrend students were up before the sun, standing in Erie’s biting winter weather to be among the first to work up a sweat in the new facility. Since then, an average of 700 people have swiped in daily.

“It has been rewarding to see the impact that Erie Hall has already had on the campus community,” said Kelly Wilson, recreation manager. “There are many students who visit multiple times a day.”

The new Erie Hall is the culmination of eighteen months of construction and more than a decade of planning and preparation. The $28.2 million project was funded in part by Behrend students, who contributed nearly 40 percent of the project cost, with funds from the Student Initiated Fee.

“Erie Hall happened because of our students’ commitment to this project. They saw the need, stepped up and made it happen,” said Dr. Ken Miller, senior director of administration and student affairs.

The 52,700-square-foot building features a three-court gymnasium, fitness and aerobics rooms, and locker rooms, training facilities, and coaches’ offices for the college’s NCAA Division III baseball, softball, tennis, cross-country, track and field, and wrestling teams. Erie Hall also is the new home of the college’s Personal Counseling offices, bringing mental and physical health and wellness programs together under one roof.

Equipment in the facility includes six squat racks, scores of free weights and strength training stations and rows of treadmills, ellipticals, and other cardio and strength machines. One thing you won’t see: bleachers in the gym.

“Erie Hall was built primarily for recreational use by the Behrend student body,” said Wilson, who oversees activities at the new facility.

We talked with Wilson about the new Erie Hall:

Was the lack of spectator seating intentional? Yes. Junker Center will continue to be a home base for our teams and athletic events. But several of the teams—baseball, softball, tennis, cross-country, and track and field—now have locker rooms in Erie Hall, as they play nearby. In addition to a locker room, the wrestling program also has a large practice room on the lower level. That space can be converted into a multipurpose room, if needed.

Why is this sort of facility so important on a college campus? Students need it. College can be stressful, and exercise is proven to help with anxiety and stress management. Personal Counseling plans to offer workshops on those topics, as well as nutrition and healthy-living strategies, in one of the fitness rooms.

Are group classes/activities offered? Yes. Erie Hall gave us the space to greatly expand our intramurals program. We have equipment to play a lot of different sports, including pickleball and badminton. We already offer group spin, step, Pilates, and yoga classes. Because Erie Hall is open to students as well as faculty and staff members, it’s a great place for the entire Behrend community to connect outside of the office or classroom. The building is always buzzing with action, and I’m excited to watch it grow.

HISTORY HONORED. The history of Erie Hall is honored in the lobby of the new building with a Nittany Lion sculpture, created by Erie County metalworking artist Adam Stempka and his father, Raymond. The sculpture—a layered copper lion set on a stainless and solid steel base—is mounted on planks of the original Erie Hall gym floor. The silver Erie Hall letters that are mounted next to the sculpture are also from the original building.

Feathering the Eagle’s Nest

Partnership expands Behrend’s Open Lab model of learning to eastside Erie academy

Forget what you’ve heard about cats and birds being adversaries. The Nittany Lion has landed at Erie’s Eagle’s Nest—forming a partnership that expands the college’s Open Lab model of learning to neighborhoods on Erie’s east side.

Since programming began in January, Behrend faculty members and students have been visiting the school three days a week, working with students in grades 6 through 8 on a wide range of topics—from developing social skills and emotional intelligence to finding a career path to stargazing through telescopes.

The partnership supports the East Side Renaissance effort, which includes investments in real estate and business development along Erie’s Parade Street corridor. Organizers are looking to bring a bank, a grocery store, and a social club to the area, which has not been included in other recent economic-development efforts. Fifty-six percent of the neighborhood’s residents live below the federal poverty guidelines.

Behrend’s presence is based at the Eagle’s Nest, which operates a School of Academic Distinction, employability “boot camps,” and group daycare services.

“This partnership reflects Penn State Behrend’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in education at all levels,” Behrend Chancellor Ralph Ford said. “Access to education is key to changing people’s lives.”

Over time, Behrend will provide a variety of training courses and services, including:

• Financial literacy training for students and their families,

• Animation, photojournalism, and digital arts,

• 3D printing and entrepreneurial support from the James R. Meehl Innovation Commons,

• Mentoring and youth-development programming through Susan Hirt Hagen CORE, and

• STEM programming by the office of Youth Education Outreach.

“When you put all these elements together, you can really begin to change young people’s perceptions of how far they can go in life,” Ford said.

The partnership grew out of talks by Ford and Bishop Dwane Brock, a longtime advocate for the neighborhoods near the Parade Street corridor. Brock is pastor of Victory Christian Center and CEO of the Eagle’s Nest and the East Side Renaissance.

“We’ve been talking for quite a long time about how we can make Erie a better place for everybody,” Brock said. “We want to take the marginalized in our community and methodically give them a sense of worth. This is a way to open doors for them.”

Two school directors—Dr. Greg Filbeck from the Black School of Business (now serving as interim vice chancellor and associate dean for Academic Affairs) and Dr. Melanie D. Hetzel-Riggin from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences—as well as Felica Presley, associate director of admissions and multicultural recruitment, have teamed up to coordinate Behrend’s efforts at the Eagle’s Nest, scheduling a variety of programming and presentations.

“From my perspective, the project is a perfect example of how Behrend works across the four schools and our outreach centers to make a difference in the greater community,” Filbeck said.

“We’ve been talking for quite a long time about how we can make Erie a better place for everybody. We want to take the marginalized in our community and methodically give them a sense of worth. This is a way to open doors for them.”

—Bishop Dwane Brock Pastor, Victory Christian Center CEO, Eagle’s Nest and East Side Renaissance

“In turn, our faculty, staff, and students have the opportunity to interact with the passionate leaders, teachers, and scholars at the Eagle’s Nest.”

In addition to the topics already mentioned, programming so far this year has also included introductions to computer coding, entrepreneurship, photography, flow painting, animation, and hip-hop math.

“It’s Behrend walking the walk and meeting Penn State’s land-grant institution mission,” Hetzel-Riggin added. “Faculty and staff members have been happy to get involved.”

Four Serving One Design team creates prosthesis for tennis player

Christian Neubert, 16, a sophomore at Erie’s McDowell High School, was born without a left hand. It’s a challenge he learned to live with long ago, and it hasn’t held him back. Overcoming and adapting to it is something he said he almost relishes at this point. Enter tennis.

In middle school, he decided to try the sport. He enjoyed it, so he took lessons, and when he entered high school, he joined the boy’s team. He learned to play well one-handed, but serving was difficult. He had to tuck the racket under his arm, toss the ball unusually high and then grab his racket with the same hand to hit it. His coach suggested a prosthesis.

Christian and his parents worked with Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Erie, where he chose a prosthesis that had been designed for pitching a baseball.

Within a few months, he had improved enough to earn a starting spot in doubles play. But he was still struggling with his serve; the prosthesis was heavy and unreliable in releasing the ball.

When Dean Lewis, assistant teaching professor of mechanical engineering, read a newspaper story about Christian, he knew that Behrend engineering students could help.

Like Christian, they relish challenges.

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

Lewis reached out to the Neubert family through a mutual friend, and a new senior design capstone project was added to the list that teams of seniors could pick from.

One group of Mechanical Engineering majors—Maxwell Myers, Deven Phillips, Morgan Tarbrake, and Zachary Vandervort—made it their No. 1 choice.

“When we got the list of capstone projects, I said, ‘This is the one we have to do,’” said Tarbrake, who was minoring in Biomedical Engineering. “This project gave us a chance to actually help someone.”

Christian’s mother, Amy, said the Neuberts were equally happy about the opportunity. “We were so excited,” she said. “Christian

From left, Zachary Vandervort, Deven Phillips, Christian Neubert, Morgan Tarbrake, and Maxwell Myers.

was making do with what he had, but this was a chance to have a tennis-specific prosthesis made especially for him.”

Step one for the team was to get the lay of the land—meet Christian, see the current prosthesis, find out what needed to be improved, and research what tennis prostheses might already be available.

“We found prosthetics for skiing, bicycling, swimming, and almost every sport but tennis,” Myers said.

They weren’t quite starting from scratch, however, as a portion of Christian’s current prosthesis—the part that attaches to his arm—could be used. “We determined pretty quickly that we could use a threaded adapter to attach a new device to the existing human interface,” Myers said.

MANY METRICS TO MEET

With one problem solved, there were still many metrics to meet. The device they built had to be lighter, affordable (less than $2,500), compliant with PIAA tennis guidelines, comfortable, safe, easily cleaned, secure-fitting, consistent, reliable, durable, easily maintained, and easily worn and adjusted with one arm.

That list might seem overwhelming, but the team did what engineers do: broke it into a series of steps and began methodically working toward the goal of creating a comfortable, lightweight prosthesis that could precisely hold and serve a tennis ball.

The student team came up with several concepts before settling on a cup design with a finger release latch. Once they had a product, they went through many rounds of prototyping and testing with Christian.

“We met with him almost weekly to test and get feedback,” Phillips said. “It was a very iterative process. Along the way, Christian was able to build up some practice using it and develop a certain skill level with it.”

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

Christian is excited to begin working with the final product, which the team finished in late April.

“This prosthesis is much lighter,” he said. “Also, since there is a way to secure the ball (with the finger latch), it will help me control my release better and throw higher, which will help make my serve more powerful.”

There will be a learning curve, but Christian is up for the challenge, of course.

“It will definitely take some getting used to, as I will have to train myself to release the ball at a much different place.”

A PROJECT WITH IMPACT

“It was a fulfilling project,” Tarbrake said. “I can’t tell you how many times I told my teammates, ‘Guys, I’m going to cry’ because it was so emotional to be able to help someone and see the results.”

The project inspired Tarbrake to continue working toward a Biomedical Engineering minor. “I was just going to let it go because it’s more work, but after I got involved in this, I knew I had to finish it,” she said.

Christian, whose father, Dan, is a chef at Penn State Behrend in Dobbins Dining Hall, plans to attend Penn State to pursue degrees in Computer Science and Business.

The four student team members graduated from Behrend in May. At the time of their graduation, each of them had accepted positions in various sectors, including transportation, quality control, and nuclear energy.

VIRTUAL DISSECTION TABLES ENHANCE LEARNING

Cutting-edge technology offers unlimited 3D exploration of cadavers, animal specimens, and more.

Cadaver dissection is a vital exercise for those planning careers in medicine and other health care fields, but it’s an experience that few undergraduate students get to have.

“Cadaver labs are hard to get and difficult to maintain,” said Dr. Todd Cook, associate professor of biology.

Now, though, Penn State Behrend students can gain experience in dissection without even getting gowned and gloved. Three new state-of-the-art Anatomage virtual dissection tables provide 3D renderings of cadavers, giving students the opportunity to digitally view, cut, and alter the orientation of the cadavers.

“These sophisticated teaching tools are

found in many medical schools, but in few undergraduate institutions,” Cook said, “and we have three of them—a full-size table and two clinical tables.”

The tables allow students to see anatomy exactly as it would be on a fresh cadaver. Users can choose from four photorealistic cadavers that were recreated from actual human cadavers through serial

sectioning of the bodies at 0.2 mm intervals and then imaging of the sections. The anatomy is presented as a fully interactive, life-sized touch screen experience.

“The tables allow for limitless exploration and learning as the virtual specimens can be dissected repeatedly,” Cook said. “They also allow us to isolate for study systems of the body, such as the circula-

tory, endocrine, skeletal, and lymphatic systems. And we can even download maladies for students to diagnose.”

The tables arrived at Behrend over winter break and were quickly put to use in physiology and anatomy classes in the spring semester. They required little set up beyond plugging them in.

These virtual dissection tables aren’t just

for learning by pre-health and nursing students. The smaller clinical tables include dozens of animal specimens in the same life-size, interactive format, which will be of use in many biology and science classes.

The Anatomage tables were made possible by a gift from the Orris C. Hirtzel and Beatrice Dewey Hirtzel Memorial Foundation.

Photos courtesy of Anatomage Inc.

Tortoise Full Body

Peripheral Nerve

Fractured Metacarpals

Skull Aneurysm

Sagittal Torso Section

Rabbit Full Body

The Future Is Now

Robotics and Automation Lab opens in Burke Center

The new Prischak Robotics and Automation Lab in the School of Engineering is drawing the attention of area manufacturers and businesses that want to collaborate with the college on research and development projects.

It’s no surprise to Dr. Yohannes Haile, assistant teaching professor of management and industrial engineering, who points out that every manufacturer wants to improve their processes and/ or production.

“Robotics and automation make manufacturers more competitive by increasing efficiency, lowering labor costs, and reducing the ergonomic stress on workers,” Haile said. Additionally, robotics and automation can help with labor shortages companies may face.

“Current estimates indicate there are 500,000 open manufacturing jobs in the country right now,” he said. “That is estimated to grow to 2.4 million by 2028.”

Haile has already had discussions and visits with regional manufacturers such as Parker LORD, Cummins Jamestown Engine Plant, Lake Erie Rubber, Port Erie Plastics, and PC Systems of Ridgway to explore potential projects. He expects to hear from many more.

The lab is equipped with a range of cutting-edge equipment, including industry-grade collaborative robots, vision systems, and sensors and control systems used in manufacturing. The facility was made possible by a $1.2 million gift from Erie-based plastics packaging manufacturer, Plastek Group, and the family of its founder, the late Joe Prischak.

“The lab is configured as internal and external facing,” Haile said. “The internal

facing aspect advances experiential learning by students and supports the college’s research activities, and the external facing supports collaboration with industry, providing a safe sandbox for experimentation of new ideas away from the manufacturing floor and also as a resource for upskilling a company’s workforce.”

Haile runs the lab with the help of student lab assistants from three different engineering disciplines, illustrating the multidisciplinary reach of the technology: Kayla Lindberg is a junior Mechanical Engineering major; Aaron Kovatch, a junior Industrial Engineering major; and Jacob Shaffstall, a sophomore Software Engineering major.

“I had worked with Universal Robots before, so when I learned about this new lab, I applied right away,” Lindberg said. “It’s a huge opportunity to learn and grow.”

In addition to providing industry support, a goal of the lab is to provide

“Robotics and automation make manufacturers more competitive by increasing efficiency, lowering labor costs, and reducing the ergonomic stress on workers.”

students with opportunities to gain handson experience in robotics and automation through research projects, internships, and co-op programs.

“I was interested in working in the lab because I know it’s a powerful tool I can use after school,” Kovatch said. “We’re working with industry-grade equipment.”

“Working with robots is a great experience,” Shaffstall said. “I learn something new every day, and I’m looking forward to doing some applied research projects.”

—Dr. Yohannes Haile assistant teaching professor of management and industrial engineering

Dr. Yohannes Haile in the new Prischak Robotics and Automation Lab.

Grading Off The Grid

Faculty members find success grading for feedback and growth

Good students are accustomed to striving for good grades, but once they get into college, a laser focus on grades and traditional measures of academic success can impede higher learning. Risk-averse students will be unlikely to take chances or try out new ideas or ways of thinking, which is where true discovery and knowledge often happens.

Several Behrend faculty members have been experimenting with “ungrading,” an umbrella term for alternative assessment based on grading for growth. While methods vary, at the heart of ungrading is providing feedback without judging too soon before students achieve the desired competency.

“Conventional grading methods tend to reduce students and their work to a snapshot in the process, while ungrading practices motivate students to own their learning process by shifting their attention away from a definitive number or letter grade,” said Dr. Qi Dunsworth, director of the Center for Teaching Initiatives, who hosted a Grading Differently Open House this spring.

To learn more about alternative grading, we talked with three faculty members who have used the approach. Gabe Kramer, assistant teaching professor of mathematics, applied it in teaching Calculus I and II; Dr. Matt Levy, associate professor of art history, used it in three of his classes; and Dr. Ashley Russell, assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, used alternative grading in two of her molecular and cellular biology courses.

WHY DID YOU TRY GRADING DIFFERENTLY?

Kramer: I was unhappy with having students’ first attempts at a skill being permanent in the grade book. I wanted to allow them to make mistakes and learn from them with minimal negative consequences.

Russell: In 2020, I implemented a “journal club” assignment in which I asked students to read original research articles that pertained to the material and summarize them. Students liked the assignment but were stressed about trying to include all the “right” information. It felt unfair to expect them to accurately

summarize everything when some of it was so foreign to them. I wanted to keep these assignments but focus more on the reading and learning.

HOW DID YOU APPLY THESE ALTERNATIVE GRADING METHODS?

Levy: I did away with high-stakes exams and replaced them with frequent, low-stakes, pass/fail assignments. My new assignments prioritized personal reflection and application of class concepts over memorization and content recitation. I gave students more opportunities to learn from their mistakes, allowing them to retake quizzes and revise papers.

Russell: I utilized specifications grading for the journal club assignments. Each section of the summary was graded based on the specification, “Did you hit all the key points or make a valiant effort to?” and it was graded pass/fail. For each section that they passed they got one point. I added the points and multiplied them by a factor, and that was their grade for the assignment.

WHAT WERE THE RESULTS?

Kramer: Student feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. This type of grading allows for freedom in ways that traditional grading doesn’t. You can ask rich or complicated questions without fearing they are too difficult for students to answer, and students can attempt to answer without fear of a “bad” grade.

Levy: Because students were less worried about accumulating points, they took more intellectual risks and produced more personal and reflective writing. Students reported experiencing less stress and feeling they were learning for their own gratification, not just to earn a grade.

WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT UNGRADING?

Kramer: It isn’t just unlimited do-overs. It’s a philosophy that embraces mistake-making as part of the learning process, and it gives students autonomy to learn at a pace more suited to them.

Levy: Some might assume it will result in a decrease in rigor or increased grade inflation, but my grade distribution is relatively unchanged from when I used a more conventional grading system.

Russell: It’s not a wishy-washy thing that lets students off easy. I still expect a lot from my students, and they know it. The pass/fail aspect actually seemed to light a fire under them to get it done.

All three faculty members say they plan to continue ungrading in some form, though each of them sees it as a work in progress, subject to refinement.

DR. ASHLEY RUSSELL

GABE KRAMER

DR. MATT LEVY

Initiative Aims to Boost Student Success

For first-year students, the first six weeks at college are crucial. Those who struggle, fall behind, or fail to engage are the ones most likely to give up. Research done by the Strategic Plan group for Student Success and Retention at Penn State Behrend confirms that students who leave college before completing a year often decide to do that within the first six weeks.

To better support those students, the group created the “Six Weeks Initiative”—a coordinated network of faculty members, support staff, and campus resource officers who can provide support as students adjust to campus life.

To identify students who are underperforming in class—and who may be at risk of leaving the college—the initiative encourages faculty members to “flag” students who are not attending or participating in class in an online database. Students who are flagged are then referred to members of the Six Weeks team.

“We reach out to them by phone or by text,” said Dr. Ken Miller, senior director of administration and student affairs at Behrend. “Or we have residence hall staff go to their rooms. It’s more than an email.”

Megan O’Polka, a residence life coordinator in Ohio and Senat halls, and in a cluster of suite-style apartments at Behrend, was a liaison to students during the inaugural Six Weeks Initiative. She saw a benefit in being able to talk with them face-to-face.

“We could go and knock on their door,” she said. “It was a way to show that we cared.”

The conversations that stem from that outreach often reveal other stressors in students’ lives, said Emily Artello, associate director of exploratory and pre-major advising at Behrend and a member of the Six Weeks Initiative team.

“There are all sorts of different things that could be going on,” Artello said. “It could be a situation with their family. It

could be a health issue, or an organizational issue. Just having that conversation early on, letting them know, ‘Hey, there are resources here for you,’ is important.”

Miller and others involved in the initiative hope to collect data that can predictively model student success. “There’s a lot we can still learn,” he said. “For example, what characteristics do we see in first-year students that can indicate when there is a need for more support?”

The initiative supports the college’s commitment to individual students, said Kelly Shrout, associate director of student affairs.

“It’s not just about numbers,” she said. “It’s about each individual student—how they are treated while they are with us, and what they carry through. Our first-year students are not ‘vulnerable’ students. They are students who are experiencing new things. We need to make sure they are aware of the resources, options, and support available to them.”

“Our first-year students are not ‘vulnerable’ students. They are students who are experiencing new things. We need to make sure they are aware of the resources, options, and support available to them.”

—Kelly Shrout associate director of student affairs

Feedback about the initiative has been positive, Shrout said. “Most students have been receptive to outreach and appreciate someone checking on them and offering to help with whatever challenges they are experiencing.”

Lerato Rametse, assistant residence life coordinator, is a member of the Six Weeks Initiative team—a coordinated network of faculty members, support staff, and campus resource officers who reach out to students who may be struggling in their first few months at Behrend.

Alumna Finds Success in Franchise Formula

Former student-athlete is co-owner of four physical therapy centers

When she started at Penn State Behrend, Karla (Murray) Mazza, planned to major in kinesiology, offered at University Park. An avid volleyball player, she joined the varsity team at Behrend and after a year, she knew she wanted to find a major she could complete at the college.

“I just loved the team and Behrend, so I had to think about my skillset and where I could apply it. My mom suggested marketing,” said Mazza, who graduated with a Marketing degree in 2007 and an MBA in 2008. “It aligned with what I wanted, which was to have a lot of options in the business world and to, one day, be my own boss.”

That day came sooner than she imagined when she and her husband, Dave, ran into a college friend, Christopher Bailey, a physical therapist, who was considering buying a physical therapy franchise, Fyzical, in Corry in 2017.

At the time, Mazza was working for Patterson-Erie Corporation, which owns and operates the Burger King franchise in the Erie region, so she had some experience with the franchise model and told Bailey she would look at it and give him her thoughts.

After doing the research, Mazza was impressed. “I liked the business opportunity that Fyzical offered to someone without a medical degree and their approach to providing more holistic health care,” she said.

Bailey suggested they join forces. He would handle the clinical side of things and Mazza would manage the business side.

“Dave and I believed in Chris’ vision and Fyzical and bought into the business,” Mazza said.

It turned out to be a great partnership. In 2021, Bailey and Mazza were named the Fyzical Franchisees of the Year, and the two recently opened their fourth location.

GROWING FYZICAL

After taking ownership of the Corry facility, Bailey and Mazza noticed they had a lot of patients who were driving from Erie for treatment of vertigo and balance issues, a specialty of the Fyzical franchises.

Knowing they had existing clients in Erie made expansion an obvious next step. They opened their second location in west Erie in 2019.

“That was eye-opening,” Mazza said. “Splitting our time between multiple clinics highlighted the need to have consistency, or it would’ve been overwhelming, operationally.”

The solution, Mazza said, was to build a solid team. “Having the right staff is huge,” she said. “Mood matters. We want a positive workplace with employees who share in our vision and

enjoy their jobs. If we take care of them, they will take care of our patients.”

Each facility, including the two that Mazza and Bailey added in 2022 in Erie’s Harborcreek and Summit townships – has a clinical director, but Mazza is a frequent presence.

“Face time is vital,” she said. “I need to be accessible to our employees, and the more time I spend in the centers, the better I understand our needs and challenges.”

FROM PLAYER TO “COACH”

Recalling her experience playing volleyball at Behrend, Mazza likens herself to a coach rather than a player now. “The coach is the one doing the advance work, strategy, research, and measuring results. It’s my job to make sure we’re going in the right direction.”

She has help, not only from her business partner and employees, but from being part of the Fyzical franchise. Among the benefits, Mazza lists the ability for rapid growth, turnkey products, strong business support, and excellent training programs.

“That said, we are still a mom-and-pop operation,” she said. “We’re still locally owned and operated. I go to the same grocery stores and restaurants as our patients, and we live in this community. It’s the best of both worlds.”

Karla (Murray) Mazza ’07, ’08 M.B.A.

BEHREND ESPORTS TEAM IS NOT PLAYING AROUND

New esports team competes in the Eastern College Athletic Conference

He steps forward, into the courtyard. He’s in the open, exposed, so he pushes, moving with purpose, his legs pumping, past the stacked crates and the potted plants and the Pizzeria de Marzio.

His name is Clayton Lau. He’s a 2022 graduate of Penn State Behrend and a founding member of the college’s esports team. In the game—he plays Valorant, a five-on-five tactical shooter— he’s usually Cypher, the surveillance agent, or Killjoy, the German sentinel, whose big showstopper move is a Lockdown blast, which disarms the other team for up to eight seconds.

He also plays League of Legends. That’s the granddaddy of free-to-play video games. At one peak, according to the Wall Street Journal, 7.5 million people were playing it at any given minute.

“That game is so well optimized, it can run on a toaster,” Lau says.

Maybe, but this is much better: In 2021, Penn State Behrend renovated the lobby of Perry Hall to create a competitive esports center, a high-tech computer hub equipped with 28 Alienware PC stations. Each computer connects to a 27-inch performancegaming monitor with a refresh rate of more than 200hz. That’s three times faster than the screen on a typical desktop.

Two larger, ceiling-mounted monitors allow spectators to watch the matches, and a broadcast room enables students to stream play-by-play in real time. The audience for esports is massive: More than 5 million people watched the League of Legends world championship in 2022. The final matches were held at the 18,000-seat Chase Center in San Francisco, which sold out.

“We knew the interest was there, and that if we created a dedicated, well-equipped facility, the program would be successful,” says Scott Smith, a systems administrator at Behrend and the coach of the college’s esports teams. He quickly recruited 86 players, who compete in five game franchises: League of Legends,

Valorant, Overwatch, Super Smash Bros Ultimate, and Rocket League, which is bumper-car soccer in a “Mad Max” Thunderdome.

The teams, which compete in the Eastern College Athletic Conference, have won matches against Wake Forest, Kansas State, and the University of Kentucky.

“It’s a very balanced playing field,” Smith says. “It’s not as money- or facilities-driven as some other sports.”

That raises a question that’s trickier than the boss-level battle in Dark Souls: Is esports a legitimate sport?

“Absolutely,” says Jordan James, a founding member of the Behrend club. “My generation has definitely accepted that it is.”

He likens esports to an Olympic specialty—a refined, highly competitive, niche athleticism, much like archery, or badminton, or curling. The International Olympic Committee is open to the idea: It’s staging the Olympic Esports Series, with live finals in Singapore this summer.

James came to Behrend because of the esports team. “I liked

that I could get in on the ground and start shaping the thing,” he says.

He didn’t fully anticipate the friendships that would develop during those hours in the gaming lounge. Many of the teams eat their meals together. Several players have become roommates.

“There is definitely a social aspect to it,” James says. “To work well as a team, you have to have good relationships with the other players. You have to have that bond. If you don’t work well outside of the game, you won’t work well in it.”

When the Valorant round ends, Lau plays again. This time, it’s the Lotus map, where rotating doors open to new rooms.

“I like the variety in this,” he says. “In traditional sports, you can’t just hop from different fields and play with different people. Here, you can. For four minutes, you can escape whatever is weighing on you that day.

“People need that, I think,” he says. “Sometimes, you just want to change up your scenery and compete.”

Lions Win President’s Cup and Peak Performer Award

Student-athletes recognized for academic and athletic achievements

For the second time in three years, Penn State Behrend has earned the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Institutional Peak Performer Award. The award is given annually to the AMCC member with the highest percentage of student-athletes named to the Academic All-Conference Team. The Lions placed 60.14 percent of their student-athletes on the team. Behrend student-athletes also captured six Team Peak Performer awards (women’s soccer, women’s tennis, women’s swimming and diving, women’s basketball, men’s basketball, and men’s wrestling); the award recognizes the team with the highest collective cumulative grade point average in each sport.

Also, at the conclusion of the 2022-23 season, the Penn State Behrend Lions captured the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) President’s Cup

for the twentieth time in program history. Behrend won three conference championships in men’s and women’s cross country and men’s tennis. The Lions were

Other notable athletics news:

f The outdoor men’s and women’s track and field teams broke several records this season. On the women’s side, Julia Balaski set a new javelin record (38.10 meters) and Olivia Nola broke a twenty-one-year-old school record in the 1500 meter with a 4:35.00. For the men, Dan Dabrowski broke the discus record with a distance of 51.13 meters and Aidan Domencic set a new steeplechase time of 940.19. Additionally, Dabrowski and Sam Hetrick (high jump) both earned All-America honors, increasing Behrend’s All-American total to twenty-three. Hetrick’s indoor season was historic. He became the NCAA runnerup in the high jump, and his best mark of 2.15m (7 foot, 0.5 inches), was the fourteenth best ever in NCAA DIII.

runner-up in women’s soccer, men’s soccer, women’s tennis, women’s basketball, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, baseball, softball, and men’s volleyball.

f Men’s tennis dominated the AMCC with an undefeated season and winning back-to-back titles. The Lions also won the AMCC regular-season championship and had seven players named to the All-Conference Team. First-year student Ritvik Nadikude was selected the 2023 AMCC Player and Newcomer of the Year, while head coach Jeff Barger was named Coach of the Year.

f Nic Darrell and Marley Persch broke program records for women’s water polo this season. Darrell broke the season record for steals (112) and set a new record for most steals in a game (11), while Persch broke the season (11) and game (3) records for drawn penalty kicks.

Olivia Nola Sam Hetrick

Men’s tennis team

Behrend Cheer Team Places Second in National Competition

Benim inducted into Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame

Paul Benim, head coach of the Behrend baseball team, is a fixture at the college. He arrived as a student in 1988 and never left.

“I’m still here because I saw what Behrend could be, and I also hoped for that,” he said.

Penn State Behrend’s competitive cheer team recently made history, earning the college’s first nationally ranked cheerleading trophy. The team, led by coach Kelli Carpinello, took second place in the 2023 NCA College Cheer National Championships, the highest-ranking competition for collegiate cheerleading, held in Daytona Beach, Florida, in April.

Cheerleading is a club sport at Behrend, but Carpinello and the students involved in the club take it as seriously as a competitive sport.

The team typically practices three times a week, and team members are required to work out at least twice a week on their own. Tumblers are asked to attend open-gym sessions weekly.

Carpinello, who also works as a financial aid coordinator at Behrend, coaches two cheer teams—Game Day Cheer and Competitive Cheer—and the college’s Dance Team. All three clubs have grown considerably under her guidance, with more than 35 students participating in the 2022-23 academic year.

“We’ve seen a lot of growth in the past couple of years,” Carpinello said. “I believe that post-COVID, people wanted to get out and do more. Most of these stu-

dents missed out on memorable events at the end of their high school years and the beginning of their college years. This past fall, we had a record number of people try out for cheer.”

Behrend Magazine talked with Lauren Hanke, a member of the Competitive Cheer club, to learn more about the club’s big win.

Q: Tell us about the Florida competition. Hanke: The competition was three days long, with routines starting at 8 a.m. and going until 9 p.m. We competed in the Spirit Rally Division. After our Day 1 performance, we were in second place, only one point behind first place. Our Day 2 scores were then combined with our Day 1 performance, which ultimately resulted in our team claiming second place. We were very proud!

Q: Were there any special moments or memories you want to share?

Hanke: The tradition at the NCA competition after winning a title is to run into the ocean with the trophy to celebrate everyone’s hard work over the past eight months. I think the team would agree that this was the most memorable experience for us. There were a lot of tears, hugs, and, of course, cheers!

Benim played baseball for the college while completing a bachelor’s degree in business and behavioral science. After graduating, he coached the women’s softball team for three years before becoming head coach of the baseball team.

He is the all-time leader in baseball coaching victories at Behrend, recently notching his 700th win over twenty-eight seasons. In June, he’ll be inducted into the Metro Erie chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, one of a nine-member class.

It’s a much-deserved honor for Benim, who has established Behrend as one of the best baseball programs in the Mid-Atlantic region. The program has made the AMCC Tournament twenty-three times, won six regular season and six conference tournament titles, and finished runner-up eight times.  He has guided the Behrend Lions to five ECAC championships and five NCAA Division III tournament appearances, the last in 2021.

Benim was inducted into the Wesleyville, Iroquois, Lawrence Park Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Behrend Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013.

Home Sweet Erie Hall

Teams for six Behrend sports have a new home base

Junker Center continues to be the headquarters of Penn State Behrend athletics, serving as the hub for most of the college’s twenty-four NCAA Division III teams, coaches, and support staff, but the teams for several sports now have a permanent place in the new Erie Hall.

The college’s baseball, softball, wrestling, women’s and men’s tennis, and women’s and men’s trackand-field/cross-country teams have locker rooms in the new 52,700-square-foot building, as well as a well-stocked and staffed athletics training room complete with two plunge pools— one cold, one hot—for the athletes’ use. The wrestling team now has a 3,800-square-foot practice room with custom-designed mats next to the building’s three multipurpose courts.

Team coaches and support staff have office space above the locker rooms and a conference room with a view that is sure to impress prospective student-athletes during admissions visits. Students, coaches, and staff are all pleased with the new space.

“They are all very excited to have brand new locker rooms and a gorgeous building to serve as home base,” said Brian Streeter, senior director of athletics at Behrend. “It enhances the environment our student-athletes learn in, and it helps them enjoy their time at Penn State Behrend.”

Reflecting their support of the college and the new Erie Hall, the Doane and Cipriani families are recognized by their family names in the main thoroughfare of Erie Hall. Rich Doane and Diane (Metzgar) Doane, for whom the Doane Family Lobby is named, are 1985 graduates of Penn State. The John and Judith Cipriani Family Welcome Desk recognizes the support of John Cipriani, a 1958 graduate, and his late wife, Judith. Naming opportunities for numerous spaces in Erie Hall remain available; contact Dave Johnson, associate director of development, at dbj6@psu.edu or 814-898-6780.

New Scholarships Will Honor Legacy of ‘Mr. Penn State Behrend’

$50,000 scholarship endowment will extend the influence of Behrend graduate Colten Brown

Colten Brown was a big presence at Penn State Behrend: At 6-foot-7, and often in the weight room, he looked the part when he graduated in 2018 and moved on to a job in the Erie County Office of Adult Probation and Parole.

Those who knew him considered him a teddy bear, however. He’d begin each day by sending Snapchats, Bible verses, and inspirational messages to friends and coworkers.

“He was always one of the first to volunteer to help someone in need,” his brother, Cody Brown, said.

Colten Brown died Jan. 6, 2021, after being hospitalized for COVID-19. He was 24—at the time, the youngest person in Erie County to have died from the coronavirus.

As they grieved, his family looked for a way forward. They organized a memorial golf scramble at the Jackson Valley Golf Course in Warren. Proceeds from the event became the basis for the Colten D. Brown Memorial Scholarship Foundation, which is funding a $50,000 endowment to benefit Penn State Behrend students.

This year’s golf outing, the second of what the family hopes will become an annual event, was held in June. Details are at coltbrownscholarship.com.

Brown, who grew up in Tidioute and Warren, arrived at Behrend as a junior, having completed two years of study at Jamestown Community College. He immediately embraced life at Behrend: He joined the Delta Chi fraternity, worked in the Club Hub, and was part of the Concert Committee. He also was a member of Behrend’s competitive cheer team.

He quickly became known as “Mr. Penn State Behrend.”

“Colten wanted to be involved and make the most of his college experience,” Cody Brown said. “He loved the community that Behrend has, and he had so many friends there while in college, he barely ever came home. He was always doing something, either on-campus or with people he met at Behrend. He formed many lasting relationships with people there.”

One of those friendships was with Lindsey Hopkins Hall, associate director of Student Leadership and Involvement. She first met Colten Brown when he joined his brother, who also is a Behrend graduate, during a campus visit.

“I have yet to find anyone who describes Colten as anything but an incredible friend who could brighten any room,” Hopkins Hall said. “It was truly an honor to watch him grow and develop into the man he became.”

A “buddy bench” near the west entrance to Kochel Center is dedicated to Brown. It was funded by friends and fellow students. A “Mr. Penn State Behrend” award recognizes students who embody Brown’s high level of engagement on campus.

The new scholarships will further expand that legacy, Hopkins Hall said.

“We are immensely grateful for every contribution to the Colten Brown Memorial Scholarship, and for the continued engagement of the Brown family,” she said. “These scholarships provide more opportunities to share Colten’s story with future generations of Behrend students and hopefully will inspire them to live like Colten—with an open heart and a passion for sharing joy around Behrend.”

With the record-breaking success of “A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence,” which raised $2.2 billion from 2016 to 2022, philanthropy is helping to sustain the University’s tradition of education, research, and service to communities across the Commonwealth and around the globe. Scholarships enable our institution to open doors and welcome students from every background, support for transformative experiences allows our students and faculty to fulfill their vast potential for leadership, and gifts toward discovery and excellence help us to serve and impact the world we share. To learn more about the impact of giving and the continuing need for support, please visit raise.psu.edu.

Endowment to Sustain Logan Series

A new $1 million endowment created by the Kay Hardesty Logan Foundation will expand and extend Music at Noon: The Logan Series, which makes concert-level chamber music accessible to new audiences through informal lunchtime performances at Penn State Behrend.

The endowment will ensure the continuation of Music at Noon, which began in 1989 with a gift from Kay Logan, a musician, educator, and local arts advocate. Logan, who was the principal flutist with the Columbus Symphony for twenty years, died in 2016.

Music at Noon concerts are open to the public at no charge. A portion of the seating in McGarvey Commons is reserved for students from Diehl Elementary School.

The performers, who have included Grammy Awardwinners ETHEL, the Harlem Quartet, and the Turtle Island Quartet, also stage one-day residencies at Diehl. They also sit in with music classes at Behrend.

“One of Mrs. Logan’s goals with the series was to break down unseen barriers between audiences and performers,” said Gary Viebranz, teaching professor of music and director of instrumental ensembles at Behrend. He has directed the Music at Noon series since 2007. “That’s been particularly effective at the elementary-school level, through our partnership with Diehl.”

Logan chose to host the concerts at Penn State Behrend in part because the college does not offer a music major. She wanted to encourage students in business, engineering, and other disciplines to think philanthropically about art and “nurture that benevolent mindset,” Viebranz said.

In this file photo, Kay Logan, center, is pictured visiting with the Cavani String Quartet after a performance at Music at Noon: The Logan Series at Penn State Behrend.

A “buddy bench” near the west entrance to Kochel Center is dedicated to Brown. It was funded by friends and fellow students.

Student Success

They Did Dance All Night

Five students represented Penn State Behrend at this year’s IFC/ Panhellenic Dance Marathon, or THON. Joshua Lewis, Joshua Turton, Samuel Krantweiss, Julien Bergeron and Ryan Johnson, above, raised nearly $73,000 for this year’s event—a record amount for Behrend and the second-highest total among all campuses outside of University Park!

Fun for Wee Ones (and Grown Ones)

Early Childhood and Elementary Education majors in ECE 479: The Young Child’s Play as Educative Processes hosted a spring education carnival for nearly 100 kindergarten students from the Montessori Regional Charter School in Erie. The Behrend students worked together to create a dozen activities that were not only fun but educational. This type of project-based learning gives future teachers an opportunity to put skills they have acquired into practice.

Grant Will Help Student Understand the Underserved

Jenna Seigworth, at left, a senior English major, was awarded a $3,500 Erickson Discovery Grant for her independent research project, “Understanding the Underserved: Why Farmers Market Access Is Not Equitable.” Erickson grants are intended to fund projects conceived or led by students. Seigworth, a Schreyer Honors Scholar, is minoring in Sociology and Sustainability Leadership.

“A focus of the research will be determining consumers’ motivations for choosing where to shop, and how marketing, advertising, and physical and logistical limitations influence these choices,” Seigworth said. “This research will produce vital information regarding how to revise marketing strategies and best accommodate historically excluded groups.”

STUDENTS DO WELL AT SIGMA XI

Behrend had plenty of winners at the recent Penn State Behrend-Sigma Xi Undergraduate Research and Creative Accomplishment Conference. The annual event brings together undergraduate science students from across northwestern Pennsylvania to give oral or poster presentations on the research they have been conducting. Sigma Xi is an international scientific research honor society with more than 500 chapters in North America. Behrend works with the northwestern Pennsylvania chapter to present the conference. A complete list of winners can be found at sites.psu.edu/behrendsigmaxi2023/award-winners/.

Nursing Grad Wins University Award

YINGXIN “CINDY” WU, a May Nursing graduate, was the recipient of Penn State’s 2023 Ralph Dorn Hetzel Memorial Award. Named for the University’s 10th president, the award recognizes high scholastic achievement together with good citizenship and participation and leadership in student activities.

Wu, who is originally from China, was an active member of the International Student Services office. She revitalized the Lion Entertainment Board, organized events in partnership with the South Asian Student Organization, and raised funds for THON by running twelve miles and biking forty-five miles during THON weekend.

Tracing the Office Grapevine

MADISON DAMBACH, a senior dual-majoring in Marketing and Management Information Systems, attended the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology’s 2023 conference in Boston. At the international-level conference, she presented her research project, “Gossip Unleashed: The Role of Moral Disengagement and Calculative Mindset,” which explored when and how workplace gossip spreads. She also won a grant to continue researching the project in the Raimy Behavioral Lab in Behrend’s Black School of Business.

STANDOUT SENIORS PROFILED ON BEHREND BLOG

SOUNDS OF SUCCESS

Graduates of the Schreyer Honors College strike a gong at the completion of their thesis. Congratulations to this year’s Behrend Schreyer Scholars, who celebrated with family and friends at a banquet in McGarvey Commons this spring.

We’re proud of our graduates and all that they have learned and accomplished at Behrend. Nearly two dozen members of the Class of 2023 were highlighted recently on the college’s blog. Their perspectives on their futures and their advice to incoming students make for enlightening reading at behrendblog.com.

Snapshots

BRENDAN HUNT AT BEHREND : “If you have even a kernel of confidence, some thought deep inside of you that says, ‘I think I’m good at this one thing,’ listen to that voice,” said Ted Lasso actor and writer Brendan Hunt at a recent Penn State Behrend talk. “Listen to all the other stuff, but be sure you listen to that voice, too. Because that’s you.” Hunt spoke on campus as part of the Behrend Speaker Series and made a new friend while he was here.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DARWIN! The School of Science celebrated Charles Darwin’s birthday with a Valentine’s Day-themed outreach event—“For the Love of Darwin.” More than fifty students from nearby Harbor Creek High School visited campus for a day of interaction with a variety of science topics.

ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAK : More than twenty Penn State Behrend students traveled to Fort Myers, Florida, for spring break to assist with cleanup from Hurricane Ian. The trip is part of the college’s Alternative Spring Break program, an immersive service-learning trip coordinated by the Office of Civic Engagement.

GOVERNMENT IN ACTION : More than a dozen Penn State Behrend students enrolled in PLSC 177N Politics and Government of Washington, D.C., spent their spring break in our nation’s capital, where they squeezed a lot into one week, including a visit with U.S. Senator Bob Casey (far left). Read about their trip at behrendblog.com.

SUPER FUN SCIENCE : Penn State Behrend’s student STEM Leaders hosted a Super Science Saturday, offering hands-on fun with science, technology, engineering and math for kids in grades 4 through 6. More than 100 youth participated in dozens of activities with the help of more than thirty Behrend students.

08.27.23

WOMEN’S ENGAGEMENT COUNCIL 5K RUN FOR WOMEN

The second annual Run for Women 5K run/walk at Penn State Behrend will be held Sunday, August 27, at 8:00 a.m. The race, which is presented by the Women’s Engagement Council, starts and finishes in front of the Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Center on Technology Drive. More info, including a link to register, can be found at behrend.psu.edu/wec.

SAVE THE DATES!

Parents, Families and Alumni Weekend is scheduled for September 29 to October 1 at Penn State Behrend.

On Monday, April 8, 2024, Erie will be in the path of totality for a solar eclipse. The School of Science anticipates eager eclipse watchers will flock to campus for the event, and the school is making plans to celebrate, educate visitors, and welcome this spotlight on Erie and Behrend.