Wednesday, February 4th, 2009
12:05-1:00pm in Science Room 101
A light lunch (pizza and drinks) will be served.

Globalization has taken on a characteristic that emphasizes that no continent, no nation, can be left behind as the world advances in technological development. This requires that the technology gap between developed and developing nations has to be bridged. This forms the basis for Dr. Ofosu’s work with two universities in Ghana: the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the University of Cape Coast (UCC).

Sponsored by the Office of Director of Academic Affairs and the
Scholarly Activities Committee of Penn State Wilkes-Barre

Get ready to compete for the title of Penn State Wilkes-Barre’s Strongest Man or Woman! The sixth annual fitness competition will be held the week of February 9th, 2009 in the weight room located inside the Athletics and Recreation Building (ARB) on the Wilkes-Barre campus. All contestants will have to perform a series of strength exercises such as chin-ups, dips, and the bench press. The winners will be determined by the greatest combined number of repetitions from all three exercises. Students, faculty, staff, families, and community members are eligible and encouraged to compete to win first- and second-place prizes.

To compete, come to the weight room in the Athletics & Recreation Building (ARB) any time during one of the following blocks:
     – Tuesday, February 10th: 9:00am-11:00am, 3:00pm-5:00pm
     – Wednesday, February 11th: 10:30am-12:30pm
     – Friday, February 13th: 10:30am-12:30pm

Past winners include Craig Smith, Reo Cheshire (twice), Joe Homza, Frank Tedesco; Kristina Colladay, and Donna Smolow (four times). Past runners-up include Mike Butler, A. J. Kusmierz, Jason Hinz, Stephen Williams, Jason Harabin, Kyle Jones, Joe Homza; Kelly Spencer, Donna Smolow, Amy Welgus, Ellen McGinty (twice), and Kasey Welebob.

For more information about the contest, contact:
     Dr. Thomas Winter
     office: Science Center Room 111A
     phone: 570-675-9278
     email: txw2@psu.edu

On Saturday March 28, the National History Day Regional Competition will be held at the University. With nearly 500 participants from northeastern Pennsylvania, students in grades 6-12 will choose historical topics related to a theme and conduct extensive primary and secondary research through libraries, archives, museums, oral history interviews and historic sites. Students then present their work in original papers, websites, exhibits, performances and documentaries. Christyne Berzsenyi, campus coordinator for Regional History Day said, "Hosting the regional competition is a wonderful opportunity for Penn State Wilkes-Barre to share our educational expertise and resources, as well as our facilities with bright and motivated local students, devoted teachers, and our active community of history enthusiasts."

Hosted by the student activities office, Preacher Moss will perform live on Monday Feb. 23, at 7:00 p.m. inside Barry Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.
 
As a writer for The Damon Wayans Show and Saturday Night Live, Moss has been profiled on the BBC, ABC, CBS Sunday Morning and Fox News Dayside. “Understanding diversity and multiculturalism requires that we eliminate or reduce the anxiety of our ignorance and how to speak honestly when we can't,” says Moss.

For information contact Jackie Warnick-Piatt at 675-9284 or e-mail Piatt at jxw64@psu.edu.

To take advantage of this free and fun event, local students are encouraged to visit the Penn State Wilkes-Barre web site at http://www.wb.psu.edu/. All participants that spend the day on campus will have the chance to attend classes, meet professors, have lunch in the cafeteria, and interact with other students and staff members.

According to the Admissions office, this highly successful event has been in existence for more than five years. During a recent University survey, first-year students rated this event as a deciding factor for choosing Penn State Wilkes-Barre.

To learn more call the Admissions office at 675-9238 or register on-line at http://www.wb.psu.edu/.

Dedicated to sharing information and educating professionals on the value and methods of internet marketing, e-Marketing NEPA, will offer a unique program on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Social Media Optimization (SMO). During the session, industry experts will provide on-site information to participants who want to learn more about Twitter, Facebook, media sharing and blogging.

Designed to meet the professional development needs of marketing and information technology personnel, e-Marketing NEPA is comprised of members from Penn State Wilkes-Barre’s Continuing Education Office, The Great Valley Technology Alliance and the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center.

For information or to attend the event contact Vinelle Johnson, Continuing Education Office, at 675-9253 or e-mail Johnson at vzj1@psu.edu.

Penn State night with the Penguins is open to the public and the cost is $10 per person. Price includes: Front-row seats at half-price, a Penguins cap, hotdog, drink and popcorn. Tickets must be purchased in advance by calling Penn State Wilkes-Barre at 675-9228 or e-mail Karen Brace-Hodle at klb14@psu.edu. Deadline is Monday, March 16.

The Penn State Alumni Association is the largest dues-paying alumni association in the world with more than 159,000 members. Established in 1870, the Alumni Association strives to connect alumni to the University and to each other, provide valuable benefits to members and support the University's mission of teaching, research and service.

For more information on the Alumni Association, visit www.wb.psu.edu.

During the presentation, instructors Eric Bergstrom and Beth Ann Delaney will offer participants a first-hand look on how to access Penn State’s customized business training services and solutions offered through the Management Development program.

For information or to attend the event contact Vinelle Johnson, continuing education office, at 675-9253 or e-mail Johnson at vzj1@psu.edu.

Penn State Wilkes-Barre is hosting its annual “Be a Penn Stater for a Day” program. All high school juniors and seniors thinking about college are invited to visit the Wilkes-Barre campus on Wednesday, April 1, from 8:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

To take advantage of this free and fun event, local students are encouraged to visit the Penn State Wilkes-Barre web site at http://www.wb.psu.edu/. All participants that spend the day on campus will have the chance to attend classes, meet professors, have lunch in the cafeteria, and interact with other students and staff members.

According to the Admissions office, this highly successful event has been in existence for more than five years. During a recent University survey, first-year students rated this event as a deciding factor for choosing Penn State Wilkes-Barre.

To learn more call the admissions office at 675-9238 or register on-line at http://www.wb.psu.edu/.

Penn State Wilkes-Barre, along with the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry, the Downtown Wilkes-Barre Business Association and Penn State Wilkes-Barre’s Alumni Society will host an executive management series breakfast featuring Albert Boscov on Friday, March 20, from 7:45 a.m.-9:30 a.m. at Genetti Hotel and Conference Center in Wilkes-Barre. The cost is $15.00 per person.

The program entitled An Hour with Al Boscov is a motivational story about developing a small, local business into a retail giant. Boscov will lead a discussion on entrepreneurial spirit and how local businesses can improve society in today’s global market.

A successful merchant and benefactor of many community organizations, Boscov is a graduate of the Drexel Institute of Technology. He also holds honorary degrees from Albright College, Kings College and Kutztown University. Considered an expert in the field of retail merchandising, Boscov is best known for creating one of the largest, privately owned department store chains throughout the mid-Atlantic region.

For information contact Ann Murtagh at 675-9219 or e-mail Murtagh at amm60@psu.edu.

The goal of the Science Olympiad is to stimulate interest in science through the excitement of competition with personal and team awards. Approximately 1300 students, coaches and parents from over 50 different high schools and middle schools will be competing at this year’s event.

A total of 40 different activities will be held in the areas of science and engineering. Students will participate in astronomy, anatomy, forensics, food sciences, meteorology, and robotics. Various other disciplines will also be tested. The winners of both the junior and senior high teams will advance to the state competition. For a complete schedule of events visit http://www2.wb.psu.edu/uwt/nepascioly.

For information contact Mark Gregorio at 675-9269 or e-mail Gregorio at mjg33@psu.edu

Wednesday, March 18th, 2009
12:05-1:00pm in Science Room 101
A light lunch (pizza and drinks) will be served.

Join Walteen Grady Truely in preparing for her dissertation defense at Marywood University this spring. Walteen will be presenting the results of her research on the personal identity, experience and institutional factors that influence faculty decisions to include social justice and diversity topics in their courses. Her findings are based on a survey distributed to faculty at four campuses in the northeastern United States. One of the results of the research was the identification of links between social justice course conceptw and disciplines where they may not be considered applicable. What relationship exists, for example, between social justice and diversity issues and engineering or math? And how should she explain her finding that being Catholic was a top identity factor realted to faculty inclusion of social justice?

Sponsored by the Office of Director of Academic Affairs and the
Scholarly Activities Committee of Penn State Wilkes-Barre

Building on the success of LEAP, Penn State’s Learning Edge Academic Program for first-year students, STEP is being piloted for change-of-campus students in business and engineering looking to meet others making the same transition while getting a head start on classes.

"Overall, it’s about the smoothness of the transition to University Park," said Yvonne Gaudelius, assistant vice president and associate dean of Undergraduate Education. "It’s making effective use of the summer semester to prepare students for the full University Park experience."

STEP participants will be part of a "pride," which consists of two interrelated classes with the same students. Classes will have fewer than 30 students and both classes in each program will be linked through collaboration between the professors. An experienced upper-level student mentor will guide social and academic activities.

There are no extra charges beyond regular tuition and room and board rates for the program, scheduled for University Park’s second six-week summer session. STEP participants can also choose to live on or off campus.

Students are eligible for STEP when they are approved for entrance to their major at University Park.

All STEP participants enroll in two three-credit courses that meet graduation requirements.

Engineering students enroll in Mechanical Engineering–Vibration of Mechanical Systems (M E 370) and Computer Science–Programming for Engineers with MATLAB (CMPSC 200.201). Business students enroll in Management–Management and Organization (MGMT 397A) and Marketing (MKTG 397A).

For more information on STEP, call 814-863-4174 or e-mail step@psu.edu. Space is limited, so students are encouraged to register early.

Christyne Berzsenyi, campus coordinator for Regional History Day said, "Hosting the regional competition is a wonderful opportunity for Penn State Wilkes-Barre to share our educational expertise and resources, as well as our facilities with bright and motivated local students, devoted teachers, and our active community of history enthusiasts."

The top three finishers from each region advance to the Pennsylvania State competition and then winners at the state level will compete in National History Day at the University of Maryland in June.

For information, contact Christine Berzsenyi at 675-9275 or Janis Winter at 675-9232.

The local event was held under the direction of John Barnes, Admissions Officer at Penn State Wilkes-Barre and TEAMS Regional Coordinator. The JETS TEAMS competition introduces various engineering disciplines to over 14,000 students from across the nation. The program is an exceptional way for students to learn about and prepare for future careers in Engineering.

The 2009 regional award winners were:

1. Wyoming Area High School.
2. Wyoming Valley West High School.
3. Dallas High School.

For more information contact Mark Gregorio at 570-675-9269 or e-mail Gregorio at mjg33@psu.edu.

To take advantage of this free and fun event, local students are encouraged to visit the Penn State Wilkes-Barre web site at www.wb.psu.edu. All participants that spend the day on campus will have the chance to attend classes, meet professors, have lunch in the cafeteria, and interact with other students and staff members.

According to the Admissions office, this highly successful event has been in existence for more than five years. During a recent University survey, first-year students rated this event as a deciding factor for choosing Penn State Wilkes-Barre.

To learn more call the Admissions office at 675-9238 or register on-line at www.wb.psu.edu.

A recipient of many National Guard service medals, Haydock has maintained a cumulative 3.91 grade-point average while volunteering for several organizations. She is a board member for the Greater Nanticoke Area School District Family Center and a volunteer maintenance worker for the Honey Pot Playground Association. "It’s important that there’s a place for kids to go and play. I fought for my country and now I want to do the same for my community," she adds.

While at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, Haydock has been a member of both Phi Theta Kappa and Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Societies. The twenty-five year old single mother also holds an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Luzerne County Community College.

Haydock is currently employed as a part-time counselor’s assistant at Clem-Mar House. Her immediate plans include campaigning for a seat on the Nanticoke City Council and pursuing a master’s degree in criminal justice.

For information contact Mark Gregorio at 675-9269 or e-mail Gregorio at mjg33@psu.edu.

After a brief introduction to Boeing and its rotorcraft division, as well as an overview of internship and employment opportunities, students were given a tour of the composite center. The composite center manufactures the materials used to build the frame and rotors of aircraft, increasing their strength while reducing its overall weight. The tour continued with a visit to the plant that manufactures the V-22 Osprey.

The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey is the first aircraft designed from the ground up to meet the needs of the Defense Department’s four U.S. armed services. The tiltrotor aircraft takes off and lands like a helicopter. Once airborne, its engine nacelles can be rotated to convert the aircraft to a turboprop airplane capable of high-speed, high-altitude flight. Boeing is responsible for the fuselage and all subsystems, digital avionics, and fly-by-wire flight-control systems. The V-22 provides a significant increase in operational range over the legacy systems it will replace and is the only vertical platform capable of rapid self-deployment to any theater of operation worldwide.

The last visit in the tour was Flight Simulation Labs used by Boeing engineers to test the performance of their aircraft, allowing to predict the response of the system before incorporating specific changes. Students visited the control room as well as the flight simulators for the V-22 and Chinook helicopters.

Although not included in the tour, the Ridley Park facility also manufactures from beginning to end the Chinook helicopter. The Chinook is a multi-mission, heavy-lift transport helicopter. Its primary mission is to move troops, artillery, ammunition, fuel, water, barrier materials, supplies and equipment on the battlefield. A central element in the Gulf War, they continue to be the standard for the U.S. Army in the global campaign against terrorism. Since its introduction 1,179 Chinooks have been built.

On Friday, April 24, the Religious Diversity Series hosted a speaker, Barbara Farley, on Quakerism.

Ms. Farley has been involved with the Society of Friends for over 20 years.  She explained that the Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as the Quakers or just Friends, was founded in England in the 17th century as a Christian religious denomination. Unlike many other groups that emerged within Christianity, the Religious Society of Friends has tended away from creeds, and away from strict hierarchical structure. The various branches have widely divergent beliefs and practices, but the central concept to most Friends is the presence of God within everyone. Accordingly, Quakers may develop individual religious beliefs arising from their personal conscience and from revelation. Pennsylvania Quakers tend to avoid evangelism, but welcome everyone, whatever their background. Quakers are perhaps most known and respected for their pacifist doctrine, espousing non-violent conflict resolution and serving in times of war as conscientious objectors.

Today many Quakers feel their faith does not fit within traditional Christian categories, but is another way of experiencing God. Although most Quakers today recognize Quakerism as a Christian movement, a few Friends are affiliated with other religions, or consider themselves universalist, agnostic, atheist, secular humanist, or do not accept any religious label.

The talk was attended by sixteen members of the campus community, who participated in a lively question-and-answer period following the main presentation.

The Religious Diversity Series is sponsored by the Campus Environment Team (CET).

Ever wish you had the chance to sing like your favorite pop idol or challenge your soccer skills with top-notch coaches and players? Starting June 22 through July 24, children who are in elementary, middle school, and high school can have fun in a variety of academic enrichment and sports camps at Penn State Wilkes-Barre.

With over 30 different activities to choose from - 16 camps which are new this year, the Summer Youth Program boasts an impressive 25-year history of providing affordable and exciting summer camps for kids in northeastern Pennsylvania. The camps are designed to engage young children and teens of all grade levels to become physically active and creative. "It’s a great way to experience art, nature, and science. Plus, if you’re looking for high-quality sports camps, our expert Penn State coaching staff will guide your child through the fundamentals of basketball, volleyball, soccer, and golf. Most of all, kids are having fun and making new friends," said Ellen Gregorio, continuing education representative at the Wilkes-Barre campus.

According to Gregorio, "Our Summer Youth Program has highly-trained instructors, who have significant amounts of experience in their field. Each staff member has to be approved by Penn State through the University College."

For registration information contact the Continuing Education department at (570) 675-9219 or visit them at www.wb.psu.edu/ce.

This year the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Surveying Society was awarded this honor based on their outstanding commitment to the campus, community and fellow club members. Members of the Surveying Society played an integral role in the SGA’s Annual Haunted Forest, participated in two road-side cleanups, volunteered at Habitat for Humanity, and helped coordinate the Fall and Spring Semester End of Semester bonfires. Members have done outreach to local high schools and to high school visitors to our campus through their volunteerism with our Enrollment Management/Admissions Office. They offered on-campus Geo Cache activities that provided students with a compass-driven adventure into the great outdoors. This club has done amazing outreach for their fellow students by assisting them in securing both internships and employment after graduation.  Their members can be found all over the United States, from New Jersey to Alaska.

Luke Hughes, Danielle Grasso, and Betsy Kaminski Hughes

Hayfield Awards

Fran Brown Humanitarian Award given to Student Support Services staff
The purpose of this award is to recognize and reward an outstanding member of our campus community - or a campus team - for fostering an environment that values civility and celebrates diversity. This individual or team will consistently build community by appreciating each person’s uniqueness and by making everyone feel welcomed. This award is named after a former campus employee who in her day-to-day interactions epitomized these core values of sensitivity and concern for others.

Hayfield Research Excellence Award given to Dr. Wei-Fan Chen
This award is given to a PSU WB faculty member who has made a significant contribution to his or her professional field.  Such contribution might include publishing or presenting a research paper or literary or other creative work or significantly participating in professional activities.

Hayfield Excellence in Service to Campus Award given to Janis Winter
This award is given to a Penn State Wilkes-Barre faculty or staff member, a Penn State Wilkes-Barre Advisory Board member, a Penn State Alumnus, or a Friend of Penn State Wilkes-Barre who has made a significant voluntary and unpaid contribution to the campus or the community beyond the capacity of his or her university-recognized or professional obligations.

Service Awards

• 5 Years: Gail Stevens, Melleray Thompson
• 10 Years: Carl Puskar, uce Reid
• 15 Years: Dr. David Chin, Dr. Anatoli Ivanov
• 20 Years: John Barnes, William Chickillo, Paul Chocallo, Dr. Charles Ghilani
• 25 Years: David Guzofsky, Dr. Joseph Jumpeter, Salvatore Marsico, JD, Jack Monick, Thomas Weaver

Chancellor’s Awards

• Above and Beyond Faculty Award given to Dr. Thomas Seybert
• Above and Beyond Staff Award given to Jacqueline Warnick-Piatt
• Above and Beyond Staff Award given to Karen Brace-Hodle
• Teamwork Award given to the Physical Plant staff
• Kate Brennan Student Focus Award  given to Dr. Robert Faux
• Up & Coming Award given to Dr. Daniel Blessner
• "Go To" Award given to Janet (A.J.) Decker
• Attitude Award given to Carol Scheff
• Lion’s Roar Award given to Jack Monick

Mark Calore and Courtney Senghaas were this year's recipients of the Lion’s Pride Award at the recent Leadership & Athletics Awards Ceremony at Penn State Wilkes-Barre.

The Lion’s Pride Award was presented for the first time at the 1990 Leadership Dinner. The award honors faculty, staff and students who have consistently worked to improve the quality of student life at Penn State Wilkes-Barre through their encouragement of, coordination of, and participation in, co- and extra- curricular programming and events.

Calore’s award was based on overall dedication to his fellow students and his support of the Student Activities Office. In addition to serving as president of the Student Government Association, he was active in the Business Office, Haunted Forest and Roadside Cleanups. He played tennis for Tennis Coach Tina Rose. He represented fellow students at both regional and university-wide leadership conferences, CCSG, the Rally at the Rotunda, advisory board meetings and in the annual State of the University address.  He is also considered by many to be the best “grilling chef” in town.

Senghaas was selected for the award based on a number of factors. One was her encouragement towards fellow students to join her in participating in events held on campus such as Orientation, Admission events, Open Houses, the Haunted Forest, bonfires, the Money Tree, Deer Management programs, and much more.  No one displays more passion for Penn State than Courtney, who is always wearing the Blue and White, whether it be ribbons, t-shirts, socks, shoes, or even a backpack. Her enthusiasm is contagious.

Congratulations, Mark and Courtney!

Penn State Wilkes-Barre is happy to welcome Sean Foley of Mountain Top as our new Head Baseball Coach. Foley’s impressive background includes serving as the Assistant Head Baseball Coach for the King’s Monarchs over the past three years. The King’s Monarchs qualified for the NCAA Division III Regional for the first time in King’s College history in 2006. He was the head coach for the 9^th and 10^th grade levels for the Keystone State Games Pocono Region and in the collegiate level for the Plains Collegiate Team. He was able to secure multiple gold and silver medals with the Pocono Region during his eight-year tenure.

Sean currently works as the Facility Director for Phoenix Rehabilitation and Health Services in Hanover Township. There, he is responsible for the clinic’s day-to-day operations, staff development, marketing, and patient care in an outpatient rehabilitation center.

Ken Fisher was the recipient of the Hayfield Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year award at this year’s Leadership & Athletics Awards Ceremony at Penn State Wilkes-Barre. The award is based on a combination of teaching excellence and contribution to the general welfare of students at Penn State Wilkes-Barre. The recipient of this award is elected by the student body and the Student Government Association, which makes it especially meaningful to faculty.

Mr. Fisher attended SUNY in Binghamton, NY from 1969 to 1973. He received his BA in English from King’s College and his MA in English from Fordham University. He taught English at the Woodbridge Township public school system in Woodbridge, NJ and the Westfield public school system in Westfield, NJ. He was employed as an Adjunct Professor of English at King’s College and later as an Instructor and Assistant Professor of English at College Misericordia.

In 1998 Fisher started at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, where he established the Writing Center. He served on numerous committees, including the Student Affairs Committee of the Faculty Senate, the Walker and Murphy Awards Committee, and the Student Activity Fee Committee.

This is not the first time that Fisher has received this honor.  The current award, however, is especially poignant as Fisher has now entered into a well deserved retirement.

       This year’s recipients are, seated, left to right, Kelsey Biondo, Donna Smith and Courtney Senghaas;
standing, left to right, are Jared Pantella, Mark Calore, Daniel DeNucci and Melissa Gunshannon.

Based on their outstanding leadership and devotion to their clubs and organizations, this year’s Outstanding Club Members of the Year are Shelby Murren (THON); Marika Merritt (Honor Society); Donna Smith (The Collegian); Melissa Deremer (Students For Justice); Jared Pantella (Surveying Society); Daniel Elbich (Lion Ambassadors); Jim Joyce (Lazy Artist Society/Radio Club Committee); Dhaval Patel (Engineering Club); AJ Race (4 Seasons); Sara Jannuzzi (Business Club); and Silvia Sutkowski (Lambda Sigma).

Front row, left to right: Shelby Murren, Marika Merritt, Donna Smith, Melissa Deremer.
Back row, left to right: Jared Pantella, Daniel Elbich, Jim Joyce, Dhaval Patel, AJ Race.
Not shown in picture: Sara Jannuzzi, Silvia Sutkowski.

After a welcome from Dr. Charles Davis, chancellor of Penn State Wilkes-Barre, current students and faculty members were available to answer questions while families enjoyed complimentary ice cream from Penn State’s Berkey Creamery, went on tours led by Penn State Wilkes-Barre Lion Ambassadors and were entertained by the Nittany Lion.

“It was very rewarding to have so many students from the surrounding communities come here and see all that Penn State has to offer,” Davis commented.  “Our campus may be small compared to other Penn State campuses, but we have a lot to offer and we were glad to have the opportunity to showcase that to these young students.”

All high-school students and their parents are invited to schedule a visit and tour the campus at www.wb.psu.edu/admissions/admevents.htm.

For more information, please contact Tracy Garnick at 570-675-9218 or tlg19@psu.edu.

Lion Ambassadors Shelby Murren, Courtney Senghaas, Jess Wrieden, and Dan Elbich,
along with the Nittany Lion, welcome students to Penn State Wilkes-Barre.

Two of the most popular camps were the art camp and the veterinary camp.

During Art Masterpieces, 24 young artists explored the work of artists such as Van Gogh, Monet, and Picasso and learned how to use colors and shapes to make their own creations in the artists’ styles.  Campers’ creations were hung in an Art Masterpieces gallery in the campus Athletic and Recreation Building for all visitors to the campus to admire. Art Masterpieces instructor Carolyn Oravitz has been teaching the art camps for four years and said she enjoys the “relaxed atmosphere and challenging projects for the kids to work on.” “They have the chance to spend more time on art than they do during their classes at school, so we really get into our art projects during the three hour sessions,” Oravitz said. Oravitz also said she is excited to see the many students who return each year, as well as the new campers, and how quickly the new students make friends. “The art camps provide an opportunity to expand their knowledge and understanding of art and artists… while they [students] help each other and work and play together.” The campers also got a chance to walk around the campus and observed some of Penn State Wilkes-Barre’s natural beauty, capturing it in their own works of art.

Campers also favored the Animal Hospital/Veterinary Assistant Camps, a hands-on experience that teaches animal lovers proper care for their pets and other animals that included a trip to a local animal hospital and a horse farm.  With these programs, campers got a first-hand look at the lives of animals and the people that care for them while enriching their own love of animals. Sally Sprankle, instructor of these camps, has been with the Summer Youth Program for 19 years and loves returning each year because she said it gives her a way to explore new avenues of teaching. A first grade teacher at Wyoming Seminary Lower School, Sprankle said she believes in using many activities to “engage multiple intelligences.  We sing, draw, play pretend, anything that gets the children to really understand the animals.” Sprankle has spent many hours with the children in the veterinary camps and said her most rewarding experiences are when she hears the students say “I’m having so much fun!  I love this camp!”

The camps are designed to engage young children and teens of all grade levels to become physically active and creative. “It’s a great way to experience art, nature, and science. Plus, if you’re looking for high-quality sports camps, our expert Penn State coaching staff will guide your child through the fundamentals of basketball, volleyball, soccer, and golf. Most of all, kids are having fun and making new friends,” said Ellen Gregorio, Summer Youth Program Coordinator at the Wilkes-Barre campus.

For more information about the Summer Youth Programs at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, please contact Ellen Gregorio at epg10@psu.edu or 570-675-9220.

Featuring blues music by Teddy Young and the Aces, the folk sounds of Just Us, Traditional Irish Step and Native American Dance, juggling by Robert Smith and magic by Pat Ward, both local and regional performers will take to the stage starting at 11:30 a.m.

The day’s events will also include tours of historical Hayfield House, views through the campus’ Meade Telescope in the Friedman Observatory, and demonstrations including lute making, woodcarving, pottery, bookbinding, and quilting.  Barnes and Noble will host Children’s Story Time in the campus’ Fran Brown Memorial Gazebo and the Back Mountain Youth Theater Company, under the direction of Gina Majors, will perform “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”

A requested $2 donation for adults supports an annual achievement award to an arts-oriented Penn State Wilkes-Barre student, donations to public performances offered by the FM Kirby Center, Misericordia University, the Fine Arts Musical Program at the Shavertown United Methodist Church and to Great Books at Penn State Wilkes-Barre as well as occasional support for arts-oriented projects at local libraries and programs at Penn State Wilkes-Barre.

In conjunction with the Summer Festival, the Second Annual Pump and Five Kilometer Run Contest will be held at the campus beginning at 9 a.m.  Participants will weigh in at 9 a.m. and begin with the bench press portion of the competition.  Depending on the amount of successful bench presses a contestant completes, time will be deducted from their running time.  Awards will be given to the overall top two male and female finishers, with additional prizes available for the top male and female runner.

For more information, contact Summer Festival Chair Janis Winter at 570-675-9232 or jrw4@psu.edu.

The goal of this on-going program with the Pennsylvania Humanities Council, Bachman says, is to offer expert speakers to various non-profit organizations around the state and cultivate an interest in various aspects of the humanities such as film, art, dance, storytelling, music, and history.  According to the PHC Website, www.pahumanities.org, the council also makes available book discussion groups as well as grants for public humanities programs.

Beginning in January of 2010, Bachman will tour Pennsylvania and offer an abbreviated version of his “Frances Slocum: Child of Two Americas” program, opening the floor to discussion and exchange with the audience.  The film, which Bachman wrote, directed and co-produced, highlights the life of the real Frances Slocum, a young Quaker girl abducted from her family in Wilkes-Barre on November 2, 1778.  Slocum eventually came to live with a family of Delaware Indians before marrying a Miami Indian chief.

Bachman, a long-time Arts and Sciences professor from Dallas, PA, has been teaching a variety of communications courses since 1982, including public speaking, mass media and society, propaganda and persuasion, and organizational communication.  Bachman holds both Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees in communications from New York Institute of Technology and is the recipient of several national Telley Awards for excellence in historic productions.  He is also a judge in the documentary category for National History Day which is held annually at the Penn State Wilkes-Barre campus.

For more information, contact Melissa Gunshannon, Public Information Coordinator at 570-675-9269 or melissag@psu.edu.

A 2003 graduate of Seton Catholic High School, Brennan earned a Bachelor’s degree in English from Marywood University, where she was also a member of the basketball team.

Brennan then went on for her Master’s degree in English Literature at Seton Hall University where, she said, she discovered her love of teaching.

“I had a graduate teaching assistantship there and that’s where I really found out that teaching was what I enjoyed and what I wanted to do,” Brennan said.

Brennan said she first applied for the English instructor position with Penn State Wilkes-Barre because she liked the idea of being at a small campus with a big name.  Having gone to smaller schools for high school and college, Brennan said she liked the idea of working at a small school and is thrilled to be at Penn State Wilkes-Barre.

“Everyone I’ve met has just been so wonderful and friendly and helpful,” Brennan said.  “They really want you to succeed and will do anything they can to help you.”

Brennan will be teaching four sections of English 015 – Rhetoric and Composition this fall and said she looks forward to adding other classes to her schedule for the spring.

Penn State Wilkes-Barre provides the benefits of a world-renowned university in a smaller, more intimate setting.  Dedicated staff and teachers have helped students of all ages since the campus’ inception in 1916 and continue to provide excellent education and support.  Penn State Wilkes-Barre boasts eight Bachelor’s degrees and six Associate’s degrees available at the campus and the ability to start one of over 160 degrees at Penn State Wilkes-Barre and complete it at another campus.

Penn State University is committed to equal opportunity and diversity in both its employees and students.  For more information, contact Melissa Gunshannon, Public Information Coordinator at 570-675-9269 or melissag@psu.edu. 

Penn State Wilkes-Barre Continuing Education is here to help.  In the next month, Penn State Wilkes-Barre will be a host site for two Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) seminars.

On Friday, September 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., a LEED Green Associate Exam Prep Course will be offered.  This course is designed for anyone interested in preparing to take the LEED Green Associate exam and will highlight such topics as green building practices and principles; project site factors; water management; project systems and energy impacts;  and acquisition, installation, and management of project materials.

The following week, on Friday, September 25 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. a second course, the LEED-AP+ Building Design and Construction Exam Prep Course, will also be hosted at Penn State Wilkes-Barre.  Highlighted in this program will be an overview of LEED rating systems; sustainable sites; water efficiency; energy and atmosphere; materials and resources; indoor environmental quality; and innovation in design.

In addition, Penn State Wilkes-Barre will host a Green Advantage program NEPA Alliance in Pittston, PA on November 6 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  The goals of this program are to understand and enforce the core concepts of construction principles behind sustainable buildings and integrate green practices and strategies into construction processes.  Participants in this program will become knowledgeable about the LEED rating system and learn how to lighten the impact on the environment, save energy, and improve health conditions of construction workers and building occupants.  You can also become Green Advantage certified with the 90-minute exam that will be offered at the end of the course.

For more information on these and other great opportunities provided by Penn State Wilkes-Barre Continuing Education, please call 570-675-9253 or visit the Continuing Education website.

Shelby Murren, Penn State Wilkes-Barre’s Dance Marathon (THON) Committee Chair said she was pleasantly surprised with the Summer Leadership Conference and enjoyed all the workshops offered.

“It was very informative and a good experience,” Murren said.  “We met a lot of new people and it was nice to see the Commonwealth campuses combine and talk to each other.  We’re all going through the same thing, recruiting, making sure the committees are strong and that we can do our best.”

Murren also said keynote speaker Nancy Hunter Denney was very enthusiastic and really drove home the message of being involved and getting everyone in the mindset of being a leader and not doubting their abilities.

Penn State Wilkes-Barre Student Government Association (SGA) President Mark Calore said he benefitted most from the strategic planning exercises.

“Strategis planning is not something I get to do all the time,” Calore said, noting that this event allowed everyone to come together and use free association, expressing any and every idea that came to mind.

As the academic year commences, the students who attended the Summer Leadership Conference will become role models for other students on campus as they put into practice what they learned over the summer.

Penn State Wilkes-Barre Summer Leadership Conference participants:
Front row: Jessica Wrieden (THON Committee Vice Chair); Mike Calore; Mark Calore (SGA President)
Second row: Marika Merritt (Honor Society); Shelby Murren (THON Committee Chair); Allison Waltemyer (Freshman Representative); Brieana Mitchell (Campus Environment Team)

Jack Chambers of Creative Educational Concepts led the Orientation Leaders and first-year students through a series of games and activities designed to stimulate conversation, build relationships, and welcome them to Penn State Wilkes-Barre.

Students not only introduced themselves and their interests, but also participated in team building and leadership exercises.

During one "Jack-tivity" students were given the task of physically supporting each other while having only half of their total number of feet on the floor.  Chambers explained that the exercise was more than a physical challenge, but also a metaphor, that the people around them would become their family, the people who support them and whom they also support.

Orientation continued on Friday, August 21 with a convocation and introduction to faculty and staff.  New students were shown around campus, participated in various discussions, and met with faculty from their respective academic colleges.  A campus-wide luncheon, workshops, and a "40 Minutes or Less" info session were part of the day's events.

For the latest information on what's happening on campus, be sure to check the Calendar of Events and Campus Blue Screen.

Have a great semester!

This review is designed for the practicing engineer who plans to take the Professional Engineer Examination to become registered as a professional engineer in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  It includes three phases of engineering covered by the examination.

The program also reviews pertinent engineering and scientific concepts. Development of problem-solving skills is emphasized, and questions from past examinations are carefully examined.  Specific topics to be reviewed include highways and surveying, hydraulics, sanitary, structures, engineering economics, and soils.

For more information on this, and other professional development opportunities, please contact Ellen Gregorio in Penn State Wilkes-Barre's Continuing Education Department at 570-675-9220 or egregorio@psu.edu or visit the Continuing Education website.

Each contestant bench-pressed his or her body weight, or a percentage thereof, according to the age category they were in.  This was followed by a five-kilometer run, which was held on a measured back-road course. The total results were then taken into account to determine the overall winners.

The overall top two male and top two female finishers in the combined pump and run contest received either cash awards or memberships to the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Athletics and Recreation Building.  The overall top male and female runners also received awards. Other leading contestants in the various age categories also received awards: ten in the 15-39 age group and five in each of the other age groups. 

The first five male overall winners were Brian Lisowski, 42; Craig Rome, 43; Dennis Tanner, 52; Tom Ducatte, 56; and Arthur Jordan, 46.  The first five female overall winners were Kelly Rupp, 48; Nancy Lee Harmon, 50; Kyla Hennigan, 16; Val Tanner, 50; and Michele Jordan, 45.

Event organizer Dr. Winter stated he was very pleased with the outcome of the contest, noting that there was much more participation in this year’s competition over last year’s.

For more information, please contact Melissa Gunshannon, Public Information Coordinator at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, at 570-675-9269 or melissag@psu.edu.

Dr. Graham Spanier: “Penn State is changing the world. I see it every day through the work of our faculty and staff, through the education of our students, and through the achievements of our alumni. As I begin my 15th year as President of Penn State, I am proud to share some of our accomplishments through the 2009 State of the University video.”

This event, hosted by Consortium member Frontier Communications, featured a presentation by TMG Health, Inc. called "212^o- The Extra Degree."  The Extra Degree is an inspiring metaphor with a motivating and focused message.  It helps team members understand and remember that by making small changes and applying a little extra effort, they can realize greater success in their personal and professional lives.  "At 211 degrees, water is hot; at 212 degrees, it boils, and it's the extra degree that makes the difference," said Shelley Hayden of TMG Health, Inc.

The meeting also highlighted the Consortium's mission statement and goals as well as leadership team structure, networking groups, and guidelines.  Additionally, the Consortium established four interest groups focused on internal customer service; external customer service; technology; and quality/training.

Leadership for the NEPA Customer Service Consortium is provided by Penn State Wilkes-Barre; TMG Health, Inc.; Frontier Communications; RCN; Network Solutions; Metz & Associates, the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry; and the Great Valley Technology Alliance.

The NEPA Customer Service Consortium invites all leadership team members from any company in Northeastern Pennsylvania that have a vested interest in providing excellent customer service to their next meeting, which is scheduled for Wednesday, November 4, 2009.

For more information about the NEPA Customer Service Consortium, please contact Janet Rosenbaum, Assistant Director of Continuing Education at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, at 570-675-9102 or jqr8@psu.edu or visit www.wb.psu.edu/CE.

Participants in the NEPA Customer Service Consortium are:
Janet Rosenbaum (Penn State Wilkes-Barre); Karla Porter (Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry); Karen Long (Network Solutions); Mark Brown (Frontier Communications); Julie Space (TMG Health, Inc.); Cheryl McCann (Metz & Associates); Shelley Hayden (TMG Health, Inc.).

The first program, Supervision Essentials – Level 1, will take place on Mondays, October 5, 19, 26 and November 2 from 1-4:30 p.m. at NEPA Alliance on Oak Street in Pittston, Pa.

This program, taught by Beth Ann Delaney, is designed for newly appointed supervisors, those aspiring to be supervisors, and those in supervisory roles who do not have formal training.  Objectives of this program include meeting supervisory responsibilities, building work relationships, communicating effectively, and leading others.

Delaney will also teach another program offered by Penn State Wilkes-Barre called Meeting Today’s Leadership Challenges.  This one day program will take place on Tuesday, November 10 from 8:30 a.m. until 12 p.m. at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, Old Route 115, Lehman, Pa.

This program serves as an introduction to the nature of leadership roles and responsibilities in today’s complex and changing workplace. It includes concepts, exercises, and activities designed to help you understand these roles and responsibilities, and to begin developing the competencies and behaviors associated with effective leadership.

For more information, contact Vinelle Johnson in the Continuing Education department at Penn State Wilkes-Barre at 570-675-9253 or vjohnson@psu.edu or view the program brochure.

Beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the Abram Nesbitt III Academic Commons, Penn State Wilkes-Barre invites the community to learn about the Chinese traditions of the Full Moon Festival and the history of the Friedman Observatory, view the night sky through the Observatory’s 16-inch Meade Schmidt-Cassagrain LX200 telescope, enjoy a special exhibition in the Friedman Art Gallery, and enjoy a light dessert reception - including traditional moon cake!

Please RSVP no later than October 1 with name and number of guests to Jackie Warnick-Piatt, Penn State Wilkes-Barre Student Activities, at 570-675-9284 or jackiewp@psu.edu.

 
   
  ^{Abram Nesbitt III Academic Commons - Photo courtesy of Don Cox}

 
   ^{Friedman Observatory}

An international artist and award winning poet, Medina has presented her powerful poetry at colleges and festivals all over the world in locations such as Switzerland, South Africa, Cuba, Brazil, and all over the United States.

A guest speaker for such events as Women’s History Month, Latino Heritage Month, Human Trafficking Awareness Week, Palestine Awareness Week, AIDS Awareness Week, and many others, Medina has also been commissioned by national non-profit organizations to facilitate and lead performance workshops, teaching spoken word as a form of self-empowerment.

Medina has also served as the managing director of the Human Writes Project (2004-2007), an organization composed of artists, poets, and emcees utilizing the medium of spoken word, poetry, and hip hop as a way to advocate social change.

A graduate of UCLA’s School of Theatre Film and Television with a major in theatre and a minor in Chicano/a studies, Medina has merged her classical training with her cultural knowledge and political consciousness to enhance the empowerment potential of her poetry, performances, art, and workshops.

For more information, contact Jackie Warnick-Piatt, Penn State Wilkes-Barre Student Activities Coordinator, at jackiewp@psu.edu or 570-675-9284 or visit www.gabrielagarciamedina.com.  For additional information on upcoming events at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, please visit the campus events page.

Originally developed in 1998 by a former Penn State Wilkes-Barre Student Government Association president, Haunted Forest transforms the campus grounds and Hayfield House into a fun-filled Halloween activity and charity event.

All proceeds raised at this eight-night event support the Penn State Dance Marathon (THON), which raises money for the Four Diamonds Fund at the Hershey Medical Center.  The Four Diamonds Fund was established in 1972 to aid families battling pediatric cancer by providing innovative cancer research and treatment as well as support for the families.

This year’s Haunted Forest will be held on Thursday-Saturday, October 15-17, Thursday-Saturday, October 22-24 and Thursday-Friday, October 29-30 from 7:00-10:40 p.m.  Admission is $7 for adults 12 and over; $6 for children under 12; and $5 per person for groups of 10 or more.

For more information, contact Jackie Warnick-Piatt, Student Activities Coordinator at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, at 570-675-9284 or jackiewp@psu.edu.

Members of the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Haunted Forest Committe:
Row 1: Jessica Wrieden, Alexis Bausinger, Amy Polachek, Shannon Brace, Kate Lewis
Row 2: Bethany DeRenzis, Amy Parry, Marika Merritt, Andrew Olshefski
Row 3: Shelby Murren, Dominic Borzell, Jason Oliver, Dave Glicini
Row 4: Andrew Race, Fenil Patel, Justin King
Row 5: Nick Mosher, Charles Capuano
Row 6: Lawrence LaRue, Jim Kovalik, Daniel Dymond, Jim Joyce

Dr. Thomas Winter, Professor of Physics at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, leads this initiative, taking time each morning to sort paper with his wife Janis, a math tutor at Penn State Wilkes-Barre.  Approximately twice a semester, faculty, staff, and students spend time on a Sunday afternoon sorting through bottles and cans.

The most crucial step, according to Dr. Winter, is the first step of very simply placing your used paper, bottles, cans and other recyclables into one of the recycling containers all around campus.  The maintenance staff at Penn State Wilkes-Barre oversees the collection and transportation of these recycled goods to the recycling building, where it is then sorted into more specific categories.

Once all the materials are sorted into their appropriate categories, they are loaded on trucks and transported to either Bielecki’s Recycling Center or Municipal Recovery.

In the past 21 years, the recycling initiative has brought 830 truckloads of material to market and found ways to re-use more then $34,000 in discarded supplies.

For more information, please contact Dr. Thomas Winter at txw2@psu.edu or 570-675-9278.

Youth Symposium Committee Chair Theresa Kline, Luzerne County First District Attorney Jeffrey Tokach and Penn State’s Director of Academic Affairs Theodora Jankowski began the program by welcoming the students to this year’s Symposium, “Life’s the Real Deal… Not a Reality Show.”

The students then spent the day in various workshops ranging from “Toxic Technology,” which addressed the risks and possible consequences of sharing too much information on the Internet; to “Trapped in the Gang Life,” which highlighted the dangers of gang activity. Other popular topics included healthy snacking, laws pertinent to the high school students and handling adolescent stress.

The afternoon was reserved for more hands-on activities, providing students with a chance to climb a rock wall, engage in team building exercises, learn what it takes to become a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper, operate a DUI simulator and explore the world through impairment goggles.

Keynote speaker Alma Johnson also addressed the group, reading the poem she composed about her experiences of stealing money, getting caught, and being processed through the juvenile justice system. She continued by sharing the difficult time and enormous effort that it takes to be accountable for your actions and to make amends to your victim and the community.  Johnson emphasized that though she was fortunate not to spend time in jail, she does have a criminal record, an obstacle that can and does make life difficult.

For more information on the Youth Symposium, please contact Marshall R Davis, Director of the Administration of Justice Program at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, at mrd16@psu.edu or 570-675-9264.

Brian Grove, Director of Corporate Development for Chesapeake Energy Corporation’s Eastern Division will present “Drilling 101,” a program addressing several issues related to drilling, including the basic outline of the process and the impact on local businesses and communities as well as short- and long-term impacts on the environment and the economy.  The program will conclude with a question and answer session.

For more information, please contact Ann Murtagh, Penn State Wilkes-Barre Continuing Education, at amm60@psu.edu or 570-675-9219 or view the event invitation.

Homespun Holiday will feature approximately 90 vendors offering handmade jewelry, pottery, dolls, knitted items, candles, art and a wealth of other crafts and gifts.

Brunch and Lunch will be available in the Café Commons from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., featuring a traditional turkey meal with all the trimmings.

A requested $2 donation for adults supports an annual student scholarship and arts programming presented by such organizations as the Kirby Center, Misericordia University, the Shavertown United Methodist Church, and Penn State Wilkes-Barre as well as occasional support for arts-oriented projects at local libraries and programs at Penn State Wilkes-Barre.

For more information, please contact Janis Winter at 570-675-9232 or visit www.artsathayfield.org .

LittleBear’s performances, known for heart-pounding drums and music, elaborate regalia, and intricate dances from many different Native American cultures, strive to educate the public through a fun and entertaining presentation that brings history to life.  He combines traditional and contemporary Native American traditions, showing different aspects of Native American history as well as different styles of music and customs.

LittleBear will be presenting two free shows, one at 12 p.m. in the Student Commons and one at 7 p.m. in Hayfield House Community Room.

For more information, please contact Jackie Warnick-Piatt, Student Activities Coordinator at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, at 570-675-9284 or jackiewp@psu.edu.

Saturday’s game, Penn State at Michigan, provided an exciting show for the tailgaters, who enjoyed a traditional tailgate menu of hot dogs, chicken wings, barbecue sandwiches, and an assortment of beverages.

Halftime set the stage for a number of giveaways, including gift certificates for the River Grille, Penn State t-shirts, bags, umbrellas and other items, and a 50/50 drawing.

For more information, please contact Karen Brace-Hodle in the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Alumni and Development Office at 570-675-9228 or klb14@psu.edu.

On Friday, October 16, Berjano presented a brief program on how engineering as a field supports biomedical engineering, emphasizing the importance of communication and sharing information between engineers, doctors, and the companies that transform an engineer’s designs into the tools doctors use.

Berjano presented a second lecture on October 27, this time highlighting the use of mathematical models in everyday life and their importance in the biomedical realm.

An Associate Professor of Electronic Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Berjano became interested in biomedical engineering when he spent time as a field clinical engineer and had a first-hand experience with applied research.  Berjano said one advantage the United States has over Spain is that there are companies in the U.S. that are actually building medical devices, as opposed to Spain, which typically imports medical devices created by the U.S. and other countries.

One of Dr. Berjano’s main goals on his visit to the United States is to take home with him the knowledge of communications courses.  Berjano noted that at his home university, there are no specific communication skills courses for the engineering students; such courses just are not required.  However, Berjano has realized that in the engineering world, particularly in biomedical engineering, communication is critical, especially when lives are on the line.

For more information, please contact Dr. Albert Lozano, Professor of Engineering at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, at axl17@psu.edu or 570-675-9245.

Looking for options?  Penn State Wilkes-Barre has them!

To register for the November 11 Open House, please visit the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Admissions page or call 570-675-9238.

Benefits of a Penn State Wilkes-Barre education:
- Small class sizes and quality faculty make it easy for students to succeed
- Clubs, sports, activities, and community service opportunities ensure a full college experience
- Access to more than 5 million volumes contained within the Penn State University Libraries
- Complete your degree here, or use Penn State's 2+2 option to start here and finish at another campus
- A tradition of excellence and opportunity for more than 90 years

“We should definitely make it to playoffs this year,” junior tri-captain John Sanderson said.  “We’re more athletic this year; we’re a lot taller and a lot faster.  It’s a total 360 from last year.  When we don’t have practice, we’re still in the gym working out.  We want to be here.”

Though this year’s team is fairly young, only three returning players, most of the team has been playing basketball for a decade or more.

Junior Ryan Whitmiller, also serving as a tri-captain, said he’s been playing for 15 years.  Spending the past three years with the Penn State Wilkes-Barre basketball team, Whitmiller has seen many changes from year to year and has high expectations for this season.

“The talent and level of play is so much higher this year,” Whitmiller said.  “Everyone can get up and down the court fast and we have a lot more depth.”

“Our goal is to have other teams say ‘Nah, we don’t want to play Penn State Wilkes-Barre next year,’” junior Mike Buczkowski said, adding his vote of confidence that “we can at least play with anybody, if not beat them.”

“I’ve been playing my whole life,” said Matt Clemons, a 6’6” sophomore from Pittsburgh.  This is Clemons’ first year with the Penn State Wilkes-Barre team and though he sees the team as having a lot of potential, Clemons said, “We do get too over-confident at times.”  Clemons, who will have an additional two years with the team after this season, said his goal is to preach selflessness and make sure the entire team continues working together, rather than as individual players with individual egos.

Coach Scott Miner, in his third year with the Penn State Wilkes-Barre men’s basketball team, shares the same concerns and high hopes as his players.

“Our team is very young and inexperienced at the college level.  We need to get better as a team everyday and also learn to work as a cohesive unit,” Miner said.  “Once our players figure out how they can make each other better, then our team will be highly competitive.”

The Penn State Wilkes-Barre Men's Basketball team celebrated their first tournament victory of the season, defeating both LCCC and Penn State Schuylkill to claim the trophy at the Fourth Annual LCCC Invitational Tip Off Tournament.  The team will take their 2-0 record into their next game on Monday, November 16 at Marywood University.

To view the Men's Basketball schedule, and other athletics schedules for Penn State Wilkes-Barre, please visit the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Varisty Sports page.

^{Freshman Marques Middleton defends fellow freshman Shawn Washington
during a recent Penn State Wilkes-Barre men's basketball team practice.}

On Thursday, November 19 at 11 a.m., New York Times Bestselling author Edwin Black will be at Penn State Wilkes-Barre to present “Corporate Ethics and War.”

According www.edwinblack.com, “Edwin Black is the award-winning, New York Times bestselling and international investigative author of 69 award-winning editions in 14 languages in 61 countries, as well as scores of newspaper and magazine articles in the leading publications of the United States, Europe and Israel. With a million books in print, his work focuses on genocide and hate, corporate criminality and corruption, governmental misconduct, academic fraud, philanthropic abuse, oil addiction, alternative energy and historical investigation. Editors have submitted Black's work ten times for Pulitzer Prize nomination, and in recent years he has been the recipient of a series of top editorial awards. He has also contributed to a number of anthologies worldwide.”

“For his work, Black has been interviewed on hundreds of network broadcasts from Oprah, the Today Show, CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports and NBC Dateline in the US to the leading networks of Europe and Latin American. His works have been the subject of numerous documentaries, here and abroad. All of his books have been optioned by Hollywood for film, with three in active production. Black's speaking tours include hundreds of events in dozens of cities each year, appearing at prestigious venues from the Library of Congress in Washington to the Simon Wiesenthal Institute in Los Angeles in America, and in Europe from London's British War Museum and Amsterdam's Institute for War Documentation to Munich's Carl Orff Hall. He is the editor of The Cutting Edge News, which receives more than 1.5 million visits monthly.”

For more informaton, please contact Melissa Gunshannon, Public Information Coordinator at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, at 570-675-9269 or melissag@psu.edu, or visit Edwin Black's website.

Retired Captain Nick Perugini was on campus the evening of November 3 to speak with students, faculty, and community members about his experiences in NOAA's Marine Chart Division as well as rescue missions in which he participated.  A veteran of the 1996 TWA Flight 800 recovery operation, Perugini presented on the topics of hydrographic surveying, Flight 800 mapping, the crash of John F. Kennedy Jr.'s plane, and other interesting surveying applications across the oceans.

Lambda Sigma and Penn State Wilkes-Barre's Surveying Society frequently host speakers as well as other events to promote their own education in the surveying field as well as to inform non-surveyors about some of the practices of surveying.

For more information, please contact Surveying Society President Randy Lucas at rrl5035@psu.edu or visit the Surveying Society's website.

For one week, cans were set up in the Student Commons, one for each campus club’s president, and students had the chance to “vote” on the club president they would like to see hit with a pie by placing money in their cans.

In Penny Wars, each penny was +1 point while any other coin or bill is worth negative points according to the denomination of the coin or bill.

At the end of the week, the points were tallied and with a score of -85 points, Lazy Artists President Jim Joyce got a chance to throw a pie in the face of Mark Calore, Student Government Association President, who lost the competition with a score of -13093 points.

According to Shelby Murren, Penn State Wilkes-Barre’s THON Chair, a total of $266.50 was raised through the Penny Wars competition.

Penn State Dance Marathon (THON) is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, raising money each year for the Four Diamonds Fund at the Penn State Children’s Hospital, Hershey, Pa.  The Four Diamonds Fund was established in 1972 to aid families battling pediatric cancer by providing innovative cancer research and treatment as well as support for the families.

For more information, please contact Melissa Gunshannon, Penn State Wilkes-Barre Public Information Coordinator, at melissag@psu.edu or 570-675-9269 or visit www.thon.org.

On Tuesday, November 17, the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Campus Environment Team hosted a Poverty Awareness Meal, sharing with the campus and community some very real statistics of poverty in America and allowing participants to partake of a meal from various socioeconomic classes.

For a small donation to the Back Mountain Food Bank, participants were randomly separated into one of three classes: Upper, middle, and lower.  Participants were given a meal reflective of that class, while learning about the impact poverty has not only around the world, but right in our own country.

The “upper class” enjoyed a meal of salad, pasta, meatballs, and fruit juice, while dining in chairs with cloth-covered tables.

The “middle class” sat in chairs, no table, and were given hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, and soda.  Meanwhile, those in the “lower class” were fed ramen noodles and water while sitting on the floor.

Each meal and place setting was designed to give participants an idea of the simple conveniences and luxuries that many take for granted.

Mark Stull, Director of the Back Mountain Food Bank spoke to the group, explaining that his shirtsleeves are always rolled because there is always so much work to be done, especially since the pantry now serves more than 200 families in our area.  Stull asked everyone present to embrace “active goodness” by finding a cause and actively helping in any way they can, rather than simply standing by.

For more information, please contact Jackie Warnick-Piatt, Penn State Wilkes-Barre Student Activities Coordinator, at 570-675-9284 or JackieWP@psu.edu.

The event, hosted at Appletree Terrace at Newberry Estates in Dallas, Pa., offered students the chance to meet and personally express their gratitude to the many donors who have contributed significantly to the scholarships offered at Penn State Wilkes-Barre.

Students are selected for scholarships primarily based on academic excellence, service to the campus and community, and outstanding leadership.

For more information on For the Future: The Campaign for Penn State Students, please contact Karen Brace-Hodle, Penn State Wilkes-Barre Development Office, at 570-675-9228 or klb14@psu.edu.

Brace is a Dean’s List student whose artistic interests include: writing poetry, short stories, and poetic drama; photography; sewing; and make-up design.  Brace self-published a novel at age 14 and hopes to publish more novels with a traditional publishing house.  She also won the poetry contest at the Fine Arts Fiesta during her freshman and sophomore years in high school.

Brace, a native of Hunlock Creek, is planning to major in English and is also a member of the Lazy Artists Society at Penn State Wilkes-Barre.  She helped with Penn State Wilkes-Barre’s annual Haunted Forest this year by contributing her artistic gifts for the design of flyers and costumes for the actors.  She also helped design the banner for Penn State Wilkes-Barre for this year’s Party on the Square.

For more information, please contact Melissa Gunshannon, Penn State Wilkes-Barre Public Information Coordinator, at melissag@psu.edu or 570-675-9269.

^{Penn State Wilkes-Barre student Shannon Brace was recently awarded the Irene Thomas Memorial Award for her contributions to the arts.  Pictured are, Row 1: Mark Wasilewski; Mary Ann Brace, Shannon’s mother; Shannon Brace, award winner.  Row 2: Kenneth Brace, Shannon’s father.}

Penn State Wilkes-Barre defeated their conference competition, 75-58, giving the team an overall record of 5-3, and moving them to a 2-0 conference record heading into the winter break.

The Penn State Wilkes-Barre men’s basketball team will resume games on Saturday, January 16, 2010 with a game against Penn State Hazleton at the Hazleton campus.

For more information, please contact Scott Miner, Penn State Wilkes-Barre Men's Basketball Head Coach, at 570-675-9201 or sam61@psu.edu.

Chickillo, a plein-air artist, became involved with Thos. Moser Cabinetmakers through Ronni Potosky, manager of Moser’s Madison Avenue and Soho galleries.  Potosky knew of Chickillo’s work and thought it would be a good match with the Moser pieces.

“And it was,” Chickillo said.  “The colors of my landscapes seemed to be enhanced by the hand made cherry and walnut furniture.”

Thos. Moser Cabinetmakers has several showrooms around the country, displaying a broad selection of handcrafted residential and office furniture.

A professional artist and recipient of the F. Lammot Belin Arts Scholarship, Chickillo earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in fine art from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore.  He instructs drawing, painting, and printmaking classes at Penn State Wilkes-Barre.

Chickillo’s work has been displayed in both public and private facilities throughout the country, such as the National Academy of Design, the State Museum of Pennsylvania, British Airways, and Polaroid Corporation.  Currently, Chickillo has pieces on display in a group exhibition at Skylake Gallery in Fleetville.

For more information, please contact Melissa Gunshannon, Penn State Wilkes-Barre Public Information Coordinator, at 570-675-9269 or melissag@psu.edu.