Dennis Marsili will detail the Mannerino family’s mafia connections to the city during the 40s, 50s and 60s.

Dennis Marsili's book delves into
New Kensington's mafia side 

“Little Chicago: A History of
Organized Crime in New Kensington, Pa.”

6 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 9, Forum Theatre

UPPER BURRELL, Pa. – Author Dennis Marsili provides a perspective of the duality of the Mannerino family’s ties to the city of New Kensington at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 9, in the Conference Center at Penn State New Kensington.

Marsili, a retired New Kensington police officer, will reference his new book, “Little Chicago: A History of Organized Crime in New Kensington, Pa.” to detail Kelly and Sam Mannerino’s mobster connections in the city during the 40s, 50s and 60s.

The Mannerinos “ran” New Kensington, while simultaneously running weapons to Fidel Castro in Cuba and running a casino in Havanna. Although they were involved in numerous illegal activities and a part of the New York City crime syndicate, the brothers were beloved by many city residents. Marsili proffers an understanding of the dichotomy.

A native of Vandergrift, Marsili earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in criminology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He served as program coordinator of the Criminal Justice Training Center at his alma mater.

“Little Chicago” is the second book by Marsili, who retired in 2011 after 29 years as a police office, including 26 years on the New Kensington police force. His first a novel, “Excessive Forces: A Pittsburgh Police Thriller,” came out in 2012.

Due to the expected large crowd at the New Kensington campus event, reservations are encouraged.

To reserves a spot, call the Continuing Education office at 724-334-6010.  To order the book, see form below.

Book Order Form

Little Chicago: A History of Organized Crime in New Kensington, Pennsylvania
By Dennis L. Marsili

To receive a hardcopy of this book, printout the  form, complete all required information, and attach check or money order in the amount required.
Make check payable to:  Dennis L. Marsili and mail to:

Dennis L. Marsili
PO Box 1413
Indiana, PA 15701

Ship to:
Name: ___________________________________

Address: _________________________________

City, State: _______________________________

Zip Code: ________________________________

Phone: __________________________________

Email: ___________________________________

Date of order: ____________________________

Signed copy circle one: Yes or No

Cost: $25
Shipping cost per book: $4.50

Number of books ordered: ____________

Within Pennsylvania add 6% sales tax before shipping is added _________

Total cost of order tax and shipping included: ___________

Allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.

"Early Morning" by Durcas DeForno

Annual multimedia showcase celebrates 50 years

Reception: 6-9 p.m., Friday, Dec. 4, Art Gallery

UPPER BURRELL, Pa. -- A reception for artists of the East Suburban Artists League (ESAL) runs from 6 to 9 p.m., Friday, Dec. 4, in the Art Gallery at Penn State New Kensington.

The annual multimedia show, on display until Dec. 29, features artwork created by ESAL members. The reception and exhibit are free to the public. More than 80 paintings, drawings, photographs, sculptures, intarsia (wood inlays), quilts and paper crafts are part of the multimedia exhibit, and many are for sale from $50 to $1,200. The campus exhibit is one of two yearly shows by the group.

The gallery will be open through the holiday break except for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday and noon to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday.

ESAL 50th anniversary
ESAL concludes its 50th anniversary celebration with the campus exhibit. A nonprofit organization, the group fosters arts and crafts, and provides inspiration and encouragement to art practitioners and patrons in the eastern suburbs.

The league was founded in 1965 in the home of Plum artist Mary Ann Clarke. Originally called the Holiday Park Art League, its members hailed from the Plum area. The first show was in 1965 at the Holiday Park Shopping Center.

As its membership outgrew the boundaries of Plum, the group was renamed East Suburban Artists League, which was a better representation of its constituency. Today, ESAL boasts 70 artists from the greater Pittsburgh region.

For information on the ESAL, contact Larry Klukaszewski at larryklu@yahoo.com or David Milanak at davidmilanak@yahoo.com

For photos of the exhibit, visit http://psnk.smugmug.com

 "Pennsylvania Sky" by Bob Bickers

New Entrepreneurship and Innovation minor helps
develop wide range of managerial skills

UPPER BURRELL, Pa. -- Penn State New Kensington students looking to augment their fields of study can learn to create and manage entrepreneurial companies with the new minor offered by the campus.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation was added this semester to the roster of minors available to campus students. The new program provides the entrepreneurial behavior and innovative thinking skills that are critical to career success. Using problem-based learning, the interdisciplinary minor prepares students to develop skills in problem solving, opportunity recognition, self-efficacy, leadership, communications and learning from failure.

To meet the students’ broad range of entrepreneurship and innovation interests, core courses establish foundational knowledge, and concentration clusters address specific contexts, such as entrepreneurship in food, technology, art, journalism, or the  internet. The campus offers the New Ventures cluster of the minor.

 The New Ventures specialization helps students develop the skills and ways of thinking required to create, develop, innovate and manage entrepreneurial companies. Students can learn about balancing limited resources, changing business direction, building an efficient team, managing intellectual property, and creating new markets.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation is the campus’ 10th minor. The others are Business, Business/Liberal Arts, Civic and Community Engagement, Communication Arts and Mass Media, Information Sciences and Technology, Psychology, Security and Risk Analysis, Sustainability Leadership and Women's Studies.

Minors are an integral part of a university’s academic programs. Coursework can be concentrated in one discipline or several disciplines. Students supplement their majors with minors for a a variety of reasons, including pursuing personal interests, specializing to become more attractive to employers, and laying a foundation for a career. It usually takes two years to fulfill the requirements of a minor.

For more on minors at the campus, visit http://www.nk.psu.edu/Academics/NKMinors.htm

Four-year and two-year majors at campus
New Kensington offers nine baccalaureate degrees. Students can earn bachelor of science degrees in administration of justice, biobehavioral health, business, electro-mechanical engineering technology, information sciences and technology, nursing and psychology, and bachelor of arts in communications and psychology.

Biobehavioral Health (BBH) is a new program for the campus and Penn State Greater Allegheny, which has joint authorization to deliver the degree. The new four-year major begins in fall 2016.

The BBH program is an innovative and interdisciplinary program designed to explore health from all angles. Scholarship and teaching focuses on how biological, behavioral, psychological, sociocultural, and environmental variables interact to influence health across time scales and levels of analysis. Research topics include physiological processes; health behaviors; genetics and epigenetics; chronic disease; neuroscience; global health; psychological states and processes; environmental exposures; bioethics; health disparities; and intervention science.

The Pittsburgh Regional Alliance has identified health care and life sciences as one of five “key sectors” of the region’s economy. A report from the Pennsylvania State Data Center has also identified biology and related health-industry majors as appealing to students in this region based on labor projections.

“The Pittsburgh area is a center of activity in the healthcare industry, and students in the BBH major will be able to move into many different fields,” Adolph said.

For more on bachelor’s degrees at the campus, visit http://www.nk.psu.edu/Academics/bacc.htm

In addition to bachelor’s degree programs, the campus offers five associate degree programs: Biomedical Engineering Technology; Business; Information Sciences and Technology; Letters, Arts and Sciences; and Radiological Sciences.

For more on associate degrees at the campus. visit http://www.nk.psu.edu/Academics/assoc.htm

Level one certification for reducing waste and saving energy
100 percent participation by faculty and staff

“In the 21st century, I think the heroes will be the people who will improve the quality of life, fight poverty and introduce more sustainability.”
-- Bertrand Piccard

UPPER BURRELL, Pa. – “All in” is the betting standard in Texas Holdem. “All in” is the sustainability standard at Penn State New Kensington.

Accepting a challenge from Chancellor Kevin Snider, New Kensington became the first campus to successfully navigate the requirements for Level One certification by the Penn State Sustainability Institute’s Green Paws program. Since April 1, campus teams have been reducing waste and saving energy. New Kensington is the only Penn State campus with 100 percent participation by its faculty and staff.

“Sustainability is one of the focus areas in our strategic plan,” Snider said. “We can succeed in improving our overall sustainability on campus with simple, relatively easy steps that require only small changes on our part.”

Supported by the Penn State Sustainability Institute, Green Paws are teams of faculty and staff volunteering to take specific actions to help their offices or departments operate in a more efficient, innovative, and healthy way. The groups work in conjunction with the institute’s Green Paws program to earn certificates of achievement.

“Working together through the Green Paws program, New Kensington faculty and staff are building their capabilities to create an environment where discussions about how to create a thriving society and innovations towards that goal are encouraged and practiced,” said Lydia Vanderbergh, associate director of employee engagement and education for the Sustainability Institute. “As the first campus to roll this out to all their faculty and staff, New Kensington is showing its leadership and setting an example for the Penn State community.”

To celebrate the campus achievement, the institute will sponsor a reception at 1 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 9, in the campus Conference Center. Members of the institute will award certificates to the teams.

 Lydia Vanderbergh, center, associate director of employee engagement and education for the Sustainability Institute, trained Penn State New Kensington coaches, left to right, Bonnie Godfrey (Business Office), Angie Fisher (Student Affairs) and Susan Dale (Academic Affairs), in April on sustainability practices.

Campus green paws
The campus program is composed of a dozen teams comprising 79 faculty and staff. Green Paws is organized into four levels of certification that signify members’ progressions towards higher levels of efficiency, health, and environmental sustainability. The initial level constitutes nine categories, such as energy savings and waste reduction, as well as recycling and transportation efforts. Each category has a checklist of certain criteria to meet, and each level makes the office "greener." Certification is bestowed upon those who complete the checklist at each level.

Under the direction of coaches, the campus formed teams in March. The coaches attended a sustainability workshop, presented by Vanderbergh, to help them define sustainability, review the Green Paws checklist, and practice team building and motivation activities.

“At the training, we discussed how CEOs from around the world are recognizing that sustainability is one of the five most pressing challenges to corporations,” said Vanderbergh, who holds a master’s degree in energy and environmental policy from George Washington University. “They are looking to our universities to prepare our students to address this challenge.”

In July, Enrollment Management became the first campus team to conquer the initial challenge. The last group achieved success in November. Many teams are on the precipice of Level Two certification. For more on campus sustainability, visit http://nk.psu.edu/Information/45255.htm

Other green initiatives
Green teams aren't the first sustainability initiatives at the New Kensington campus. The continuing effort of the greening of the campus has been underway since 2008 when three environmentally friendly water bottle refilling stations were installed in selected locations around campus. Known as hydration stations, the fountains decreased the use of plastic bottles and alleviated the amount of trash that would wind up in landfills.

Five years ago, "Going Green" was implemented with single stream recycling. The campus provides a fast, easy and efficient way to recycle without the hassle of sorting recycled materials. Single stream recycling allows end-users to discard plastics, paper, glass and cans into one container. Green and blue containers are located in high-traffic areas throughout the campus. Dumpsters are located behind the Athletics Center and in the lower parking lot behind the Science and Technology Building.

Supported by an $11,000 grant from the Sustainability Institute, the campus created a compost site in October that is nourished with pre- and post-consumption food waste from Café 780, the campus' main eatery. The campus has turned into a living laboratory, which provides students the skills they need to become sustainability leaders within the community. The compost products will feed the pollinator garden, which is located in the southwest section of the campus, adjacent to the campus' nature trail. The garden serves as a habitat for native birds, bees, and butterflies.

Penn State has been the leader in sustainability initiatives among colleges and universities. The Campus Sustainability Office, established in 2008, promotes and ensures environmentally-safe activity at Penn State. Its initiatives protect and enhance the financial, human, and ecological resources of the University, and the planet.

For more on the Sustainability Institute, visit http://sustainability.psu.edu/sustainability-institute

 Science Club member Brody Gerano helps fellow students identify compostable food waste, recyclable materials and disposable trash during lunch at Café 780. The Science Club and Green Team helped educate students on sustainable practices.

Green Paws
Green Paws is a four-step program for resource efficiency in the office. Each level comprises nine sustainability categories: energy, recycling, waste reduction, purchasing, outreach and production, events and meetings, transportation, kitchens and break rooms, and publications.

“By working through the steps, the campus community will understand that teams can work together to learn that sustainability is building a skill set of thinking about the social, environmental and economic issues,” Vanderbergh said. “These issues impact how people need to think differently in order to strengthen communities and organizations. Actions include group activities to foster conversations about our learnings and practices.”

University-wide, more than 1,200 faculty and staff participate in the program. To view the requirements for all the levels, visit http://sustainability.psu.edu/greenpaws#level-1

Sustainability
Sustainability is a key initiative of Snider’s five-year strategic plan that was unveiled last year. It cuts across several of the strategic goals and highlights the campus’ intent to become an even more important leader in the community. Sustainability, poverty initiatives and STEM programming are the main ingredients in the campus plan, and the campus is engaging the community in these critical areas.

In addition to focusing the next generation of students on sustainability, the campus intends to affect the sustainable future by moving lessons, visibility, education, and action into local communities over the coming years.

“The need for sustainability has never been greater,” Snider said. “We are poised to do even more during the next five years to help our community.”

The campus’ sustainability plan goes hand-in-hand with the institute’s Green Paws program. According to Vanderbergh, Green Paws addresses three parts of New Kensington’s strategic plan, including seeking opportunities for operating, teaching, and serving students and the region, and creating an eco-friendly and healthy campus environment.

“Penn State New Kensington will be a recognized leader for the way in which it engages community in three critical areas affecting Western Pennsylvania: poverty, sustainability, and STEM-related programming in K-12 schools,” Vanderbergh said.

Sustainability activities at the New Kensington campus are under the auspices of the PSNK Green Team, a cadre of students, faculty and staff. Headed by Ruth Herstek, administrative support assistant in the Academic Affairs office, it is committed to reducing waste and exploring ways to use resources responsibly.

“The Green Team has done an excellent job of mapping out how we can succeed in improving our overall sustainability on campus,” Snider said.

For more information, contact Herstek at rah32@psu.edu

 Enrollment Management team, left to right, Danielle DeStefano, Patty Brady, Jennifer Marino, Nancy Burns, Corinne Coulson, Karen Harlan, and Diana Hill celebrate their Green Paws Level One Certification with a round of drinks at the campus' Junction coffee bar, which features Starbucks coffee.

Campus Green Teams

Arts and Humanities: Jennifer Wood (coach), Jennifer Gilley, Beth Matocha, Amy Rustic, Yesenia Figueroa-Lifschitz, Abhinav Aima, Donald Bruckner, Craig Hammond, Allen Larson,
Athletics: Tracy Gustafson (coach), Dave Murray, Pepsi Umberger, Elaine Zarichnak
Business Office: Bonnie Godfrey (coach), Debbie Hoch, Barb Smith, Randy Tressler, Jason Bush, Kim McKean
Conference Center: Candee Christy (Coach), Kary Coleman, Pat Hollinger, Nancy Miller, Debbie Novak, Beth Nury, Wes Sheets, Tina Sluss, Colleen Smith, Bill Woodard, Yang Xu
Enrollment Management: Danielle DeStefano (coach), Patty Brady, Nancy Burns, Corinne Coulson, Karen Harlan,
Dianna Hill, Jennifer Marino
Gang Green: Frank Santimauro (coach), Tracie Brockhoff, Rob Bridges, Marcia Curler, Bill Hamilton, Rick Harnish, Josi Kalavar, Debra Majetic, Deborah Sillman
Green Engineering Team: Joan Kowalski (coach), Frank Kadi, Ron Land, Rob Mathers, Doc Mueller
Loop Group: Janet Knott, (coach), Melba Amador, Megan Bardolph, Rujirutana “Dr. A” Mandhachitara, Mike McGinnis, Fred Ridener, Jeff Roth, Deborah Strickland
Student Affairs: Angie Fisher (co-coach), Paula Dove (co-coach), Lauren Blum, Theresa Bonk
Success Center: Sean Bridgen (coach), Sarah Conte, Jim Shields, Laurie Durzo, Xiang Ji, Xiang, Ge Mu
Team IT: Kevin Churik (coach), Abdou Karim Jallow, Keith Jedlowski, Jim Rounce, Mike Manojlovich
The Academic Affairs Team: Susan Dale (coach), Mary Dubbink, Ruth Herstek, Betsy Semanchik, Andrea Adolph,
Hal Smith, Kwang-Shang Wang

Penn State New Kensington Chancellor Kevin Snider, with umbrella, with the Alle-Kiski Economic Generator committee at AlphaLab, a business incubator in Pittsburgh.

Alle-Kiski Economic Generator (AKEG) developing
plans for start-ups in New Kensington

UPPER BURRELL, Pa. -- Kevin Snider, chancellor of Penn State New Kensington, led a contingent of community members and campus staff recently on a tour of entrepreneurial centers in Pittsburgh. The centers are designed to attract and nurture innovation and small business development in local areas.

Snider is at the forefront of a campus effort to create similar entrepreneur centers in the city of New Kensington. The Alle-Kiski Economic Generator (AKEG) initiative is a collaboration of students, faculty and campuses working with businesses and communities across the state to improve the lives of Pennsylvanians.

“This type of activity is driving economic development across the country and across the Pittsburgh region,” Snider said. “The city of New Kensington has tremendous potential with its great location 17 miles from Pittsburgh, low tax rates, regional economic development partnerships and a downtown area with solid infrastructure and space. The only thing missing is an innovation mindset that can inform, create, guide and support entrepreneurial thinking and economic development activity. AKEG will develop this mindset right in the heart of the city.”

Snider’s group visited AlphaLab, the Beauty Shop and the TechShop. The three entrepreneur centers offer a variety of services, such as access to resources and multiple locations that give start-ups the freedom to focus on their businesses.

“Pittsburgh is making real progress in facilitating the infrastructure needed to bring entrepreneurs to the area, and it is beginning to turn areas around,” Snider said. “One of the of areas is East Liberty, which is home to three potential partners who can really help us in our efforts on our project.”

AlphaLab is a nationally-ranked startup accelerator program that helps innovative companies launch quickly and successfully. The program provides early-stage technology companies with an extensive mentor network, educational sessions with industry leaders, and a rich entrepreneurial work environment.

“AlphaLab is a whole culture of energy and innovation,” Snider said. “It has that can-do spirit that you want for entrepreneurs.”

The Beauty Shoppe is a new way to work for individuals and small companies. It offers start-ups office space, integral services, and access to a regional network of entrepreneurs and small companies.

“The Beauty Shoppe is for young people who are just starting out and can’t afford a large office,” Snider said. “It is also set-up for traveling salespersons or somebody working out of his/her home who needs support and a meeting room to turn a profit.”

TechShop is a community-based workshop and prototyping studio that provides access to the tools of innovation. Workshops are equipped with tools and equipment, computers and design software, and the support of a community of like-minded makers. TechShop specializes in programs that simplify the process of getting projects off the ground.

“It was great visit for the 25 community members,” Snider said. “It opened their eyes to a whole new culture. They had a chance to see what we are trying to emulate.”

The Beauty Shoppe offers start-up companies office space
and integral services at its Pittsburgh location.,

Invent Penn State
AKEG is funded by a $50,000 grant from Invent Penn State, a new program that brings together Penn State’s intellectual resources, alumni, private and public businesses and investors to support the efforts. The New Kensington campus was one of six Penn State campuses to receive seed funding. The other campuses are Abington, Erie, Harrisburg, Lehigh Valley and Wilkes-Barre.

Penn State President Eric Barron committed $30 million to build the entrepreneurial pathways needed to cultivate ideas into young and prosperous companies. The idea is to involve students, faculty and community members in generating ideas, then helping to kick-start those ideas into promising new companies.

“We’ve been building partnerships with our University, community and the Pittsburgh region to bring resources to the valley that will help drive economic development and growth,” said Snider. “This funding, along with President Barron’s focus on building entrepreneurial pathways in communities, is the spark we need to get that effort up and running.“

Barron wrote about the Invent Penn State program in an op-ed piece June 26. Building the community has been the focus of the President’s first year at the helm. It is one of the six imperatives he unveiled last year.

“The Invent Penn State investment is designed to help Penn State turn its $800 million-plus research engine into a real driver for job creation, economic development and student career success,” Barron wrote. “This initiative is statewide and includes a wide range of incentives, rewards and strategic investments.”

Alle-Kiski Economic Generator
The New Kensington campus initiative is designed to attract and nurture innovation and small business development in the local community. While the goal is to serve the entire Alle-Kiski Valley, the focus of the first several years will be on the twin cities of New Kensington and Arnold. The two municipalities are adjacent and share a common school district.

The chancellor wants to develop downtown New Kensington to serve as an incubator for innovation and small business development. Community and regional partners, such as Bridgeway Capital, Idea Foundry and Riverside Center for Innovation, have pledged their support in developing the city and surrounding areas.

Snider envisions AKEG creating modern meeting and office space within the area. The designated sectors will accommodate programming and training, and serve as a regional gathering place for campus faculty, students, as well as entrepreneurs, funders, and the business community. Companies will be able to utilize the space to meet clients, hold retreats and host seminars. The campus community will have opportunities to network and develop ideas with community partners.

AKEG is expected to spur economic development in the city through a four-phase process -- idea generation, idea refinement, idea funding and proof of concept. The process melds Penn State’s intellectual resources with the valley’s local assets to drive economic development. Campus students, faculty and staff, community groups, and individuals will benefit from the process.

“Penn State New Kensington faculty and staff will have research and engagement opportunities in all phases of the idea generation process, and some of our most enterprising students will be able to pursue their innovative ideas in a supportive environment,” Snider said. “In doing so, they will play a significant role in bringing a new era of creativity and job creation to the Alle-Kiski Valley.”

The first phase, idea generation, will provide guidance and training on developing entrepreneurial and business ideas. Partners will supply training at little or no cost. The next phase, idea refinement, augments promising ideas and projects with mentors and business plan development workshops. The third phase, idea funding, will offer resources for projects that merit investment. Entrepreneurs will be paired with financing partners who will help secure funding for the project.

The fourth phase is expected to be the key to the revitalization of downtown New Kensington. Proof of concept will support entrepreneurs who are ready to “test” their product or idea by making vacant properties available to them for free or for a nominal fee. Temporary store fronts, developed through grants obtained by the three financial partners, will be set up to provide businesses with a low risk, time-limited opportunity to sell their product in an area. Successful vendors will be offered low-cost loans if they move into permanent store fronts in the same area and agree to hire local people.

Penn State has a tremendous opportunity to drive economic development in New Kensington and across the Valley,” Snider said. “Thanks to President Barron’s initiative, AKEG will bring energy, innovation, and a sense of progress and quality not seen in the area in a long time. Working with tested and proven partners, Penn State will turn that energy into action by attracting and keeping entrepreneurs, businesses, and start-ups in the area.”

The first two phases will be implemented during the inaugural year of the initiative. The third and fourth phases will get underway in the second year.

Collective endeavor with Beaver, Fayette, Greater Allegheny, Shenango

UPPER BURRELL, Pa. -- Penn State New Kensington, in collaboration with the Penn State campuses of Beaver, Fayette, Greater Allegheny and Shenango, has been granted joint authorization to deliver the Bachelor of Science in Project and Supply Chain Management program. The new four-year major will begin in fall 2016.

The Project and Supply Chain Management major concentrates on developing knowledge, skills, and abilities in project management, an important discipline in modern corporations. Project management skills include the development of new projects and coordinating procurement and project delivery systems. The major also emphasizes the integration of manufacturing and service operations, logistics, purchasing, and distribution that enable organizations to develop supply chain networks.

"Our ability to offer this new degree is a great step forward for students who are looking for a different approach to the study of business,” said Andrea Adolph, director of academic affairs at the campus. “Knowledge of project management has become a necessity in most professions, and supply-chain management is an evolving field as technology allows for a highly refined approach to moving goods and getting them into the hands of consumers. This degree will be a wonderful addition to our offerings at the New Kensington campus."

Students will have an opportunity to develop the quantitative and people skills necessary to design and operate complex management systems. The skills can be used to schedule and coordinate resources, monitor and control projects, and coordinate procurement and project delivery systems.

Graduates will be prepared for careers in many professions in business. They are able to manage supply chain and project initiatives in global corporations, government, public sector organizations, construction, third-party logistics providers, and goods and services distribution operations.

All courses needed for the degree will be offered at each campus, although students in the program should expect to take some courses through a combination of Web-based and face-to-face technology in addition to the traditional classroom setting.

Program coordinator
The campus program will be coordinated by Michael McGinnis, professor of business administration at New Kensington. His research areas are purchasing, logistics strategy, negotiations, and supply-chain management.

McGinnis joined the New Kensington faculty in 2001 after 11 years as professor of logistics and management at the University of South Alabama. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Michigan State University and a doctorate in business from the University of Maryland. He is a Certified Professional in Supply Change Management and a Certified Purchasing Manager.

The Michigan native has published more than 50 articles in the academic literature and trade press. A paper he co-authored was selected as Outstanding Paper of 2013 by the International Journal of Logistics Management. “A Comparison of the Effect of Logistic Strategy and Logistics Integration on Firm Competitiveness in the USA and China” was published in the journal (Vol. 24, Issue 2, pp. 153-179) and reviewed by the editorial board at Emerald Group Publishing Limited, which publishes the journal.

McGinnis is active in his profession. For more than 15 years, he served with the Institute for Supply Management at the local, district, and national levels, and as a reviewer for several logistics/supply chain management academic journals.

Other joint ventures
Collaboration with other Penn State campuses and higher education institutions is commonplace at New Kensington. The Biobehavioral Health bachelor’s program, a recent joint venture of New Kensington and Greater Allegheny, also begins in fall 2016.

The Administration of Justice program, which was established in 2010, is shared by the New Kensington, Beaver and Shenango campuses. New Kensington recently signed an articulation agreement with Butler County Community College allowing BC3 students to make a smooth progression to the campus and Penn State’s 13 other Commonwealth campuses.

With the addition of the new program, the New Kensington campus now offers 10 baccalaureate degrees and five associate degrees. Students can earn bachelor of science degrees in administration of justice, biobehavioral health, business, electro-mechanical engineering technology, information sciences and technology, nursing, project and supply chain management, and psychology. Bachelor of arts degrees can be completed at the campus in communications and psychology.

Associate degrees are available in the fields of biomedical engineering technology, business, information sciences and technology, letters, arts and sciences, and radiological sciences.

For more on admission to programs, call the admissions office at 724-334-LION or 888-968-PAWS.

Students from local and Pittsburgh high schools visited Penn State New Kensington to learn about the college exprience. Campus students gave first-hand accounts of their experiences and answer prospective students questions.

New Kensington partners with Urban Impact to
provide a campus experience

UPPER BURRELL, Pa. -- Penn State New Kensington teamed with Pittsburgh Urban Impact to bring students from local and Pittsburgh public schools to the campus Nov. 20 for information on preparing for the college admissions process.

Almost 100 students from Valley, Penn Hills, Perry and Westinghouse high schools toured the campus, learned about choosing majors and exploring career opportunities, and attended an interactive panel discussions by campus students.

“The goal was to make students realize that attending college is a possibility for them,” said Patty Brady, director of enrollment services at the campus. “We don’t want them to rule out college as an option, simply because they’re overwhelmed by the admissions process.”

The program, Preparation Starts with U, was developed by the campus’ Enrollment Management office. Staff organized activities relating to admissions requirements, financial aid concepts and the college experience. 

Two panel discussions featured six students: Shaquille Hager, Renaisia Butler, and Branna Wyant on one panel and Wati Kumwenda, Jevon Hankins and Alexis Main on the other. Hager, a product of Oliver High School in Pittsburgh, came up through the Urban Impact program that helped him to continue his education in college. A four-year starter on the campus basketball team, Hager graduates Dec. 19 with a bachelor’s degree in administration of justice.

Motivational speaker Moses Davis, director of the Multicultural Resource Center at Penn State University Park, delivered the keynote address. An educator in diversity and social justice, Davis is an advocate for social change. He told the students that each of them has the ability to change the world and leave a lasting legacy for those who come after them. He quoted Mahatma Gandhi, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Davis holds a doctorate in Workforce Education and Development from Penn State. As the head of the Multicultural Resource Center, which provides individual counseling and educational services for undergraduate multicultural students, he assists students in finding their paths. His charge is to help students succeed and graduate from Penn State. He strives to be a strong personal life coach, mentor and role model.

“The purpose of providing a motivational talk was to get students excited about Penn State and going to college,” Brady said. “If we don’t engage prospective students early enough in the process, they may miss key information and deadlines they need to do to prepare for college, such as SAT/ACT tests and taking challenging courses their senior year.”

For more on campus admissions, visit http://www.nk.psu.edu/Admissions/default.htm

  
Moses Davis shares his insights on getting a college education with high school students who visited Penn State New Kensington Nov. 20 to learn about preparing for college.

Campus partners
Urban Impact worked with the campus in recruiting racial minorities for the program. A more diverse student body is a part of Chancellor Kevin Snider’s five-year strategic plan for the campus.

A nonprofit organization, Urban Impact addresses the academic, physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of young people. The group targets students at an early age and provides them with options and hope for the future. The faith-based organization works through holistic community outreach to meet the needs of the whole person.

The Preparation Starts with U program was funded by a grant from Penn State’s Equal Opportunity Planning Committee (EOPC). Formed in 1983, the committee helps Penn State campuses’ efforts in reaching out to underrepresented populations.

EOPC promotes greater equity for historically underrepresented groups within the University and/or those groups that have been historical targets of discrimination. The committee is an outgrowth of Penn State's strategic planning goal to become "a caring University community that provides leadership for constructive participation in a diverse, multicultural world."

In addition to Urban Impact, the campus collaborated with two Penn State affiliates -- Community Recruitment Center and Talent Search – to identify students who could benefit from a college planning event. Students from households with limited financial resources and where no one has completed a higher education degree were the targeted groups.

The Community Recruitment Center serves as a resource to local students to help them navigate the transition from high school to college. The center’s activities include: admissions counseling; financial aid workshops; online FAFSA completion workshops; and hosting bus trips for campus visits. The recruitment center has offices in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

“In many cities like Pittsburgh, it’s difficult for students to get access to transportation to get to campuses like ours for a college visit,” Brady said.

Based at Valley High School in the city of New Kensington, Talent Search is a federally funded program designed to provide services, information, direction, and guidance to middle and high school students in grades 6 through 12. The major goals are helping program participants to complete secondary education and enroll in some form of post-secondary education or training.

“Valley High School is our geographically closest high school,” Brady said. “The program was a way to recruit racially diverse students from the New Kensington-Arnold area and to show them the advantages of having a Penn State campus in their own community.”

Penn State New Kensington nursing program coordinator, Janet Knott, greets students from Citizens School of Nursing at spring 2015 orientation. The Citizens students take two course at the campus.

Janet Knott’s “Fruits and Vegetables Community Education” project to help adults

UPPER BURRELL, Pa. -- Janet Knott, nursing program coordinator and instructor at Penn State New Kensington, recently received a grant from the ACMH Hospital Medical Staff Fund to provide adults insight to healthier food choices.

The award supports Knott’s "Fruits and Vegetables Community Education” project, which is a series of educational sessions on the health benefits of eating fruits and vegetables. The fruits and vegetables have many nutrients that keep bodies healthy, strong and full of energy. Based on the USDA's Champions for Change program, the sessions cover the recommended daily servings and how to pick, serve, and store a variety of the colorful foods.

“We will hold sessions at five local food banks and five faith-based organizations strategically located in Armstrong County,” Knott said. “Each participant who completes the education session will receive a voucher that may be used towards purchasing fruits and vegetables of their choice.”

Knott anticipates at least 20 participants at each of the ten educational sessions. All participants will receive a seasonal guide to fruits and vegetables, and will be encouraged to keep a weekly scorecard tracking their intake of the foods.

The project ties into the campus nursing program, which offers registered nurses the opportunity to earn a baccalaureate degree. Students taking Knott’s community health course in the spring will engage in service learning by educating residents of Armstrong county.

“Registered Nurses are armed with the knowledge and insight to educate about the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables, plus they are able to handle any questions that may arise from the topic,” Knott said.

Knott and Pat Hollinger, co-director of continuing education at the campus, applied for the grant after reviewing Armstrong county’s strategic plan community health needs assessment. The data showed that 81 percent of the county’s population of Armstrong county do not eat the recommended daily servings of fruit and vegetables.

“There is strong correlation that a healthy diet helps control weight, lowers the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and lowers the risk of some types of cancer,” Knott said. “These conditions rank higher than average in Armstrong county.”

The Medical Staff Fund is an affiliate of the ACMH Foundation. Established in 1991, the foundation provides financial, educational and human resources to programs fostering the awareness, understanding and creation of healthy communities. Based in Kittanning, the ACMH Foundation supports health initiatives and health education throughout ACMH Hospital and Armstrong county area.

 Penn State New Kensington nursing student Katie Everson, left, and instructor Janet Knott review the text book for the Health Assessment course. Everson is a graduate of the Citizens School of Nursing.

Janet Knott
Knott joined the campus faculty last year after 15 years as a nursing instructor at Penn State Fayette. This semester she teaches upper-level courses on nursing informatics, which focuses on technology applications to the nursing profession and the nurse’s role, which emphasizes leadership, management, and issues influencing nursing education and practice. In addition, Knott is the adviser of the independent study program, where students can develop creative projects, including research and design, which fall outside the scope of formal courses.

The Derry, Pa., resident received a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Pittsburgh and a master’s in nursing education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She earned a doctorate in nursing practice from Carlow University. Prior to teaching, she was on the nursing staff of three hospitals -- Forbes Regional, Children’s and Latrobe.

Campus Nursing program
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program offers registered nurses the opportunity to earn a baccalaureate degree. The mode of delivery is adjusted to allow adults with family and occupational time constraints to pursue the degree in their home area. Nurses in the program acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to provide comprehensive nursing care to individuals, families, groups and communities.

Through an articulation agreement between Citizens and the campus, students at Citizens take six credits of upper-level nursing courses at New Kensington. If the new registered nurse enrolls in the New Kensington nursing program, then the credits are applied to the student’s program requirements.

“The polished collaboration between Citizens School of Nursing and Penn State New Kensington is exceptional,” said Knott said. “Students benefit from graduating from a diploma program with two RN-BS nursing courses towards their baccalaureate degree, which sets them up for success in the current era of nursing.”

There are two avenues for registered nurses to obtain their bachelor’s degrees. The most common is the first two years at Citizens and the second two years at the New Kensington campus. However, some students attend the campus for their freshman year and accumulate general education credits before moving on to the Citizens program for two years. They return to the campus for their senior year to complete their baccalaureate in nursing.

The agreement was initiated in 2003 by Theresa Balog, assistant professor of nursing and nursing program coordinator. Balog retired the following year after 10 years of service to the University.

For more about the campus nursing program, visit www.nk.psu.edu/nursing

Citizens School of Nursing
Citizens School of Nursing offers a two-year hospital-based program that prepares students for the national licensure exam and entry-level practice in a variety of healthcare settings. Located at the Citizens Ambulatory Care Center in the city of New Kensington, Citizens is under the supervision of Lynn Rugh, director of the school of nursing.

The school opened as Citizens General Hospital School of Nursing in 1913. Classes began with two students under the direction of two “nurse executives” who were responsible for the hospital and the school. The first formal commencement for six students was held in 1917. Since then, 2,339 students have graduated.

The curriculum has evolved to keep pace with innovations in nursing and health care. The school earned its first accreditation from the National League for Nursing Accreditation Council in 1960, and continues to be fully accredited.

Citizens General Hospital closed in 2000, and the ownership of the nursing school was transferred to Allegheny Valley Hospital in Natrona Heights. Allegheny Valley, which is part of Allegheny Health Network, provides hands-on clinical experiences in medical-surgical, critical care, oncology, mental health and emergency nursing.

For more about the Citizens School of Nursing, visit
https://www.ahn.org/education/citizens-school-nursing

 Students at the Citizens School of Nursing check the vitals of a "real" patient in the student hospital room at the school. The "dummy" patient awaits his turn.

Amy Cyprych, a 2002 graduate of the Information Sciences and Technology program, will share her insights with Penn State New Kensington's Class of 2015.

Amy Cyprych to address 56th graduating class

10:00 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 19, Athletics Center

UPPER BURRELL, Pa. -- Penn State New Kensington alumna Amy Cyprych, director of risk revenue at Highmark, will be the principal speaker at the campus' fall commencement ceremony at 10 a.m., Dec. 19, in the Athletics Center. Thirty graduates will receive baccalaureate and associate degrees.

Cyprych earned a bachelor’s degree in information sciences and technology in 2002. At Highmark, she leads a team of program and project managers and business and data analysts, who support risk adjustment for Medicare Advantage and Affordable Care Act. Cyprych’s responsibilities include facilitating the department’s strategic and tactical planning, leading business process modeling and redesign activities, developing business requirements and test plans, and managing the operational data submission processes. Risk adjustment is a government reimbursement program administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

“I am passionate about identifying an organization’s business goals and developing people, process, and technology strategies to support these goals,” said Cyprych, who was a member of the campus' Honors program. “I enjoy bringing cross-functional teams together to accomplish a common goal.”

A frequent guest speaker in IST classes at the campus, Cyprych enjoys interacting with the students and sharing her experiences in the corporate world. In addition, she has sponsored projects for the senior capstone course, and she has participated as an employer partner of the GREAT (Growing Regional Excellence through Experience, Academics, and Training) program for promising students in engineering and technology fields.

New Kensington’s IST program gives students a background in the core technical areas of networking, databases, programming, and system integration. Graduates are trained in key business areas, such as project management and organization theory. The capstone course, “Information Sciences and Technology Integration and Problem Solving,” provides students with real-life problems faced by organizations. Each semester, nationally-known corporations bring campus students on-board as interns for special projects. At the end of the semester, the students present their results to the company, usually in front of its top management. The campus program is one of best in the Penn State system. For more on the program, visit http://www.nk.psu.edu/Academics/Degrees/44621.htm

The campus’ five-year-old GREAT program matches promising engineering and IST students with local internship opportunities. The GREAT program is a partnership between the New Kensington campus, the Penn State Electro-Optics Center and industries within the greater Pittsburgh region. Students visit companies and attend job/internship fairs. Unlike many other programs, GREAT provides qualified engineering and IST students with the opportunity to build professional skills and experiences starting as soon as their first year at the campus. The advantages of freshmen internships are numerous. For more about the GREAT program, visit www.nk.psu.edu/GREATprogram

Cyprych lives in Lower Burrell with her husband, Jim, and their two pugs, Peyton and Bailey.

For more on commencement, visit http://www.nk.psu.edu/academics/graduation.htm

The fire pit is extinguished and the pergola stands sentry in the Cafe 780 court yard, which is berift of students, faculty and staff during Penn State New Kensington's holiday break. The campus reopens Jan. 4

Campus reopens Monday, Jan. 4;
spring semester begins Monday, Jan. 11

UPPER BURRELL, Pa. -- Penn State New Kensington will close at 5 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 23, and reopens at 8 a.m., Monday, Jan. 4. The first day of classes for the spring semester is a week later, Monday, Jan. 11.

The Art Gallery and the East Suburban Artists League exhibit will be open from noon to 5 p.m. through the holiday break except for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.  There are no classes Monday, Jan. 18, in honor of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. There is still time to register for classes.

For more on registration, call 724-334-LION.

Penn State New Kensington Lion Ambassadors decorate West Haven Manor, a nursing home in Apollo.

Veterans Club sponsors toy drive;
Lion Ambassadors decorate nursing home

UPPER BURREL, Pa. -- Student clubs at Penn State New Kensington made the holidays a bit brighter recently for children and senior citizens in the Pittsburgh region. The Veterans Club and Lion Ambassadors organized events to collect toys, deliver Christmas cards and decorate living quarters.

The Veterans group held a week long toy drive that benefited patients at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. The club collected seven large bags of new toys, crafts and books, which were delivered to the hospital by club president Mustafa Arslan.

“The toy drive was a tremendous success,” said Arslan, a sophomore information sciences and technology major. “The employees from the hospital were very grateful and surprised to see the amount of toys delivered.”

The Veterans Club is a new addition to the roster of 25 active clubs and organizations at the campus. The group provides a social setting to help veterans adjust and become successful in civilian and college life. Arslan started the 17-member club at the beginning of the fall semester.

“We needed to have an outreach program, or a club in this case, to help all student veterans,” Arslan said. “Some veterans start school without having any knowledge of their benefits or who they can speak to in order to get their Veterans Administration educational benefits the right way.”

The club established a Veterans Services web page, which is located under Student Life on the campus homepage. The link helps new or current student veterans with information on Post 9/11 G.I Bill and Chapters 30-33 benefits. The page also provides contacts and instructions. At the New Kensington campus, Diana Hill, certifying official for veterans educational benefits, is the liaison for vets. Hill can be reached at 724-334-6047 or duh3@psu.edu.

“Our goal is to be as helpful as possible, so that the student experience is not hindered with unnecessary issues to the student veterans,” Arslan said.

A graduate of Fox Chapel High School, Arslan spent 12 years in the Marine Corps working as an English/Turkish linguist. He rose to the rank of staff sergeant and served in Iraq during Operation Northern Watch and Operation Iraq Freedom. After an honorable discharge, he needed a career change, and the New Kensington campus offered him the resources he desired.

“Penn State New Kensington is the best campus for me as far as the commute and the degree programs offered,” said Arslan, who is working on an IST minor in security and risk analysis. “My experience here has been great with all the support I could ask for.”

  Penn State New Kensington student Mustafa Arslan, right, president of the campus' Veterans Club, with healthcare professionals at the Children's Hospital. Arslan delivered seven bags of toys to the hospital for the young patients at Christmas.

Lion Ambassadors
The Lion Ambassadors delivered Christmas cards to residents and decorated the hallways of West Haven Manor, a nursing home in Apollo. The cards, which were donated by faculty and staff of the campus, were personalized by New Kensington students.

Bringing joy to senior citizens has become part of the service mission of the Lion Ambassadors. In April, the group tripped the light fantastic with residents of Logan House in Lower Burrell at the inaugural Senior Citizens Prom. The festivities provided an entertaining evening for the senior residents of the assisted-living facility, and an opportunity for the students to share time with those who may not have regular visitors.

Lion Ambassadors personify the campus. The club acts on behalf of the campus and is tasked with making a good first impression on visitors. Club members work closely with the Enrollment Management Office to promote the campus to prospective students. They lead campus tours and assist with other recruitment activities. Additionally, Lion Ambassadors represent the campus in the community through volunteer and service activities. Membership in the organization involves an interview and maintenance of a minimum grade-point average.

For more about Lion Ambassadors, contact Corinne Coulson, adviser, 724-334-6018 or crc26@psu.edu

Penn State New Kensington's class of 2015 is inducted into the Penn State Alumni Association during spring commencement.

Class of 2015

"Each fresh generation of students brings in a new fresh life. The young men and young women who are going out today not only carry with them a new flood of life…but they will carry with them recollections of the men and women who have led them forward with the hope and promise to this occasion. It is a scene that is always full of inspiration…that no time can wither nor custom stale." -- Commencement Address, 1897, George W. Atherton, President, The Pennsylvania State University, 1882-1906

Baccalaureate Degree

WORLD CAMPUS

Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice: Jailyn Andrews
Bachelor of Science, Security and Risk Analysis: Christa N. Hampshire

COLLEGE OF NURSING

Bachelor of Science, Nursing: Jerrad J. Dixon; Sandra L. Lenhart; Aleria F. Palmiere; Carol J. Theis; Donna J. Ybarra

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

Bachelor of Science, Administration of Justice: Samantha Demarco; Shaquille M. Hager; Casey J. Stone
Bachelor of Science, Business: Melissa A. Gabrielli; Elizabeth L. Heuston; Alyssa R. Hoscheid; Samantha J. Simon
Bachelor of Arts, Communications: Brooke J. Churma
Bachelor of Science, Information Sciences and Technology: Ryan P. Barton; Justin Fearon; Christopher J. Gillen; Kristen N. Kopacko; Joseph R. Laurina; Gregory T. Moore; Brandon J. Morrill; Brett A. Rooker
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology: Joy Bowman; Jill E. Dickun
Bachelor of Science, Psychology: Marisa A. Bailey; Subhashini P. Charyulu; Julia L. Morrow

Associate Degree Candidates

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
Business Administration: Joseph D. Connelly; Matthew J. Strother ***
Information Sciences and Technology: Thomas M. Keller; Dominic Sperring

*** Distinction

The Alle-Kiski Society's Alumni Bowl-a-thon is a family event that funds scholarships at Penn State New Kensington. The 14th annual edition is slated for Sunday, March 13, at Wildlife Lanes in Lower Burrell.

14th annual edition

1 - 4 p.m., Sunday, March 13, Wildlife Lanes. Lower Burrell

UPPER BURRELL, Pa. -- The Alle-Kiski Society's 14th annual Bowl-a-thon is set for 1 to 4 p.m., Sunday, March 13, 2016, at Wildlife Lanes in Lower Burrell, Pa.

Hosted by the local society of the Penn State Alumni Association, the tournament is open to alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff and friends of Penn State. The entry fee is $20 and includes three games and shoe rental. Four- or five-person teams may sign up, or individuals may sign up and be assigned to a short-handed team. The bowl-a-thon is the alumni group's major fundraiser in the spring, and the proceeds support the society's pledge for campus projects.

Tournament sponsorships are available for $500 and $250. Lane sponsorships are available for $50 and $100. Sponsorship and registration forms are below. For information, call John Spadaro 724-337-8536.

For more on the alumni society, visit http://www.nk.psu.edu/Alumni/alumorg.htm

Sponsorship Form

$500 – Exclusive Event Sponsorship
-- Company or personal name displayed on event sponsorship board
-- Company or personal name displayed on scoring monitor
-- Inclusion in live announcements during the event
-- Inclusion on the Penn State New Kensington website and newswire service
-- Half-page company or personal advertisement in event program
-- Four (4) free bowling registrations

$250 – Event Sponsorship
-- Company or personal name displayed on event sponsorship board
-- Company or personal name displayed on scoring monitor
-- Quarter-page company or personal advertisement in event program
-- Two (2) free bowling registrations

$100 – Big Ten Lane Sponsorship
-- Company name displayed on sponsorship board
-- Company name displayed on scoring monitor
-- Company name in Bowl-a-thon program
-- Inclusion in live announcements during event
-- Inclusion on the Penn State New Kensington website
-- Inclusion on the Penn State New Kensington newswire service

$50 – Nittany Lion Lane Sponsorship
-- Company name displayed on sponsorship board
-- Company name displayed on scoring monitor
-- Company name in Bowl-a-thon program

Your contribution is tax deductible
Please make checks payable to AKS-PSAA

Name: _______________________________________________________
Company Name: ______________________________________________
Address: _____________________________________________________
City: _________________________ State: __________ Zip Code: _______
Mail to:
John Spadaro
508 Greenridge Road
New Kensington, PA 15068
Sponsorship deadline --- Friday, March 4, 2016

Registration Form

Cost: $20 per person (includes three games of bowling and shoe rental)

Registration: Mail the registration form below with your check payable to: AKS – PSAA

*************************************************************

The $20 registration fee per person must accompany this form. Please complete one form per person. (Please Print)

Name:_______________________________ Work Phone:______________
Address:_____________________________ Home Phone:______________
City:____________________________State:_______ Zip Code:_________
Team Name:_________________________________________________________________
Team Members:_______________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

Mail to:

John Spadaro
508 Greenridge Road
New Kensington, PA 15068

Diana Hill, left, certifying official in the Penn State New Kensington's Veterans Services office, talks with Mustafa Anslan, a sophomore information sciences and technology major and Marine Corps veteran.

Diana Hill honored for
service to campus veterans

UPPER BURRELL, Pa. – In basketball, reaching double figures is a sign of scoring prowess. At Penn State New Kensington, reaching double figures is a sign of working prowess. With the Dec. 8 announcement that Diana Hill, administrative support assistant, is a “We Are!” recipient, the campus now claims 10 We Are! accolades.

“We Are!,” a weekly feature of the daily email publication Penn State Today, is a University-wide initiative that was launched in February to provide students, faculty and staff with a platform to give kudos to fellow Penn Staters for work that goes above and beyond their job duties or responsibilities.

Hill is the 10th staff member from the New Kensington campus to receive the honor in the past nine months. Previously, Nancy Miller, co-director of continuing education, Corinne Coulson, enrollment specialist, Kevin Churik, information technology generalist, Jennifer Marino, assistant director for financial aid, Danielle DeStefano, assistant director of enrollment management, Susan Dale, administrative support assistant in the Office of Academic Affairs, Nancy Burns, staff assistant VI for the Office of Enrollment Management, Karen Harlan, multimedia specialist, and Lauren Blum, assistant to the director of student affairs, were accorded the prestigious honor. All were nominated by campus colleagues or students for personifying Penn State’s commitment of service to the community. New Kensington is home to more We Are! recipients than any other Penn State campus.

Kevin Snider, chancellor of the New Kensington campus, praised the recipients for shining the Penn State spotlight on New Kensington. He encouraged the campus community to recommend other colleagues for the honor.

“The word is getting out about what a great campus and community we are,” Snider said. “It's a great way to continue to get our fantastic community recognized outside the campus.”

A “We Are” candidate could be a staff member taking extra steps to make sure a project is completed, a student organizing a charitable event, an administrator doing something special for employees, or a faculty member taking additional time to advise students.

To nominate a “We Are” candidate from the campus community, visit http://news.psu.edu/WeAre

To view “We Are” stories, visit http://news.psu.edu/story/359184/2015/06/01/we-are-thankful-these-penn-staters

Hill and campus veterans
Hill’s nominator wrote: "Being a military veteran student at Penn State New Kensington, having someone such as Diana to depend on to accomplish everything between the University and the Veterans Administration made my life much easier, to say the least."

A graduate of Duff's Business Institute, Hill joined the campus community in 1999. In her position, she provides support for the Enrollment Management and Financial Aid staff and oversees the Federal Work Study program. For 17 years, she has headed the Veterans Services office, which provides additional support to suit the needs of veterans. The campus was recently designated a Military Friendly School,

"Diana does a wonderful job with the veterans' benefits program. She will tell you that it is just a part of her job, but our veterans on campus consistently praise Diana for her attention to detail, her efficiency, and her efforts to get the veterans their benefits in a timely manner.  This doesn't happen everywhere," states Patty Brady, director of enrollment management.  "Diana helps us attract more veterans to our campus."

The New Kensington resident works closely with veterans as certifying official for veterans educational benefits. Hill assists veterans with the requirements of programs, such as the Post-9/11 GI-Bill that provides financial support for education and housing. Under the bill's Yellow Ribbon program, veterans who served on active duty since Sept. 11, 2001, have their tuition costs covered through shared responsibility between Penn State and the Veterans Administration.

“Diana Hill is very knowledgeable about vet programs and assistance,” said Matt Knapp, a veteran and alumnus who graduated from the campus in 2012.

Knapp, a four-year member of the Dean’s List with a 3.94 GPA, earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration. During his 12-year Army career as a military policeman, his duties ran the gamut from guarding nuclear weapons to ensuring the safety of presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush and vice presidents Dan Quale and Dick Chaney. He left the service after suffering lower back and ankle injuries.

“Disabilities inhibited my future in law enforcement and security,” said Knapp, who was a staff sergeant. “I wanted to get into human resource management, and the business program at Penn State New Kensington was a great way to get started in that field.”

Mustafa Arslan, a sophomore information sciences and technology major, is president of the Veterans Club, a student organization that reaches out to veterans on campus to make them aware of the resources available to them.

“Diana Hill does her work diligently to make sure that veteran students have all of our certifications in on time, and that we are ready to continue pursuing our education without any hiccups,” said Mustafa Arslan, who spent 12 years in the Marine Corps working as a English/Turkish linguist. “This plays a vital role in our scheduling and billing. I am thankful for her dedicated work ethics.”

Veterans and adult learners comprise approximately 28 percent of the student population at the campus. New Kensington strives to support military veterans in reaching their academic goals while maintaining a healthy life balance.

“I often say that ‘it takes a village,’ and Penn State New Kensington staff work toward helping our veteran students have a good outcome,” Hill said.

For more on Veterans Services, contact Hill at 724-334-6047or duh3@psu.edu.

Admissions and veterans
The number of veterans deciding to start or return to college continues to rise as more military personnel fulfill their service obligations and return to civilian status. The ranks of adult learners, those classified as at least 24 years old, also are expanding as more displaced workers look for a career change or seek additional education.

To help nontraditional students navigate the many challenges associated with the higher education decision, the Admissions staff encourages veterans to make appointments for personal meetings to discuss the educational benefits available. There are numerous academic options for veterans and adults, including: selecting from more than 200 noncredit, certificate and degree programs; choosing full- or part-time status; and scheduling day or evening classes. Appointments are recommended but not necessary. Walk-ins are welcome.

To make an appointment, call the Admissions Office at 724-334-LION or 888-968-PAWS.

For more on the campus’ educational benefits for veterans, visit http://www.nk.psu.edu/Admissions/FinancialAid/vetsfa.htm

Military Friendly Schools
The Military Friendly Schools designation is conferred upon the higher-education institutions exhibiting leading practices in recruiting and supporting post-military students. Selected colleges are able to incorporate the most current, unique data about their school that is not captured elsewhere, giving service members and their families a well-rounded look at their education programs. More than 1,600 schools earned the 2015 Military Friendly Schools designation.

Up to 400,000 service members leave military service each year, and more than a third attend college after separation. The Guide to Military Friendly Schools is available at all military transition classes, as well as throughout U.S. military bases and communities across the globe, reaching hundreds of thousands of transitioning service members, veterans, military spouses, and military transition program managers each month -- individuals who know and trust the tested Military Friendly name.

The criteria for consideration can be found at: www.militaryfriendly.com

Local middle school students join forces to build a Rube Goldberg contraption at WEDIG's "STEM Challenge" at Penn State New Kensington.

“STEM Challenge” highlights
students’ engineering prowess

UPPER BURRELL, Pa. -- Making an elaborate machine to ring a bell was the task for middle school students Nov. 24 at a Rube Goldberg competition at Penn State New Kensington.

More than 200 seventh and eighth graders from four local school districts -- Burrell, Franklin Regional, Kiski Area and New Kensington-Arnold -- honed their critical thinking and engineering skills at WEDIG’s third annual “STEM Challenge” by building Rube Goldberg machines.

“Each year, the students continue to amaze us with their enthusiasm and drive to make their ideas come to fruition," said Debbie Novak, STEM and youth programs coordinator at the campus.

Prior to the competition, students learned about career paths in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields from 30 STEM professionals representing a variety of occupations. The professionals shared their career stories, including successes and obstacles for their chosen vocations.

After the presentations, the students were divided into teams of five, and featured a blending of the school districts. The STEM professionals served as coaches, sharing their expertise, demonstrating the Rube Goldberg process, encouraging collaboration and analytical thinking, and supervising brainstorming and planning sessions.

The teams were given basic items, including pulleys, blocks, tubes, screws and duct tape, for their projects. The task was to build a machine to get a tinkle out of a small bell.

Rube Goldberg, who died in 1970, was a world-renowned cartoonist who used his sculpting and engineering background to draw complicated contraptions that needed numerous steps to performed easy tasks, such as pushing a button or filling a cup.

In addition to emulating Rube Goldberg, the students learned critical thinking, leadership, and team-building skills.

The event is sponsored by Westmoreland Economic Development Initiative for Growth, better known as WEDIG, and the New Kensington campus. Other patrons were Rotary International, Westmoreland County Community College, Five Starr Catering, Byers Taxi Service, Bozzone Family Foundation, Burrell Group, and Don and Debbie Kinosz.

For more information, contact Novak at dsn2@psu.edu

WEDIG
WEDIG is an organization of more than 100 business and government officials who work together to achieve economic growth and global competitiveness through private-public partnerships. Kevin Snider, chancellor of the New Kensington campus, spearheaded the establishment of the group in 2009 to foster quality development in communities throughout the county. Members come from five Alle-Kiski municipalities -- Allegheny Township, Arnold, Lower Burrell, New Kensington and Upper Burrell. Snider organized WEDIG into committees that deal with five issues: infrastructure; education and training; quality of life; business and investment; and health, wellness and spirituality. Penn State New Kensington students serve as interns to help each committee.

In addition to the Rube Goldberg competition, WEDIG sponsors the Quiz Bowl and the Math League, academic competitions for local high schools. The Quiz Bowl is a round-robin, match-play format, where teams of five students are asked a series of 20 questions. The first player to buzz in with the correct answer earns a point for the team. Most points or correct answers in the head-to-head competition win the match. Match record determines the champion. The championship rounds are held on campus in the spring.

The Math League brings together students from Burrell, Ford City, Freeport, Kiski Area, Kiski School, Kittanning, Leechburg and Valley high schools, and gives them the chance to go head-to-head with each other in a mathematics competition. Each school is allowed three teams of five students, competing against all the other teams in each round. Students answer two sets of eight questions within the 25-minute limit for each set. The questions in algebra, geometry and other areas of mathematics are developed by Penn State New Kensington’s husband-and-wife team of Xiang Ji, assistant professor of mathematics, and Ge Mu, instructor in mathematics. The competition is held at the campus in the fall and spring.

STEM Programming at the campus
The campus collaborates with the community on a number of innovative projects -- STEM Academy, COMETS, Kids in College, STEAM and ABC CREATE -- to help raise the STEM skill sets of public school students in the local area. The efforts are designed to enhance the region and attract business and innovation so that communities can turn around the economic decline in southwest Pennsylvania that has occurred over four decades.

The STEM Academy focuses on one-credit courses to introduce high school sophomores and juniors to STEM-related fields and to illustrate the types of skills and preparation needed to engage in those professions. Courses on Math, Engineering, Technology and Science (COMETS) targets seventh- and eighth-grade girls who have an interest in the STEM fields. Kids in College is a series of summer camps that integrate the STEM fields into the traditional summer classes. STEAM (STEM plus arts) prepares middle-school students for a competitive world through a strategy of enhanced education and career development opportunities.

Funded by a $300,000 grant from the Grable Foundation, the Alle-Kiski Best Practices Collaborative CREATE Lab Satellite Network Regional Hub, better known by its acronym ABC CREATE, works to identify strengths, resources, and needs related to STEM education within individual districts and the overall collaborative. Spearheaded by the New Kensington campus, the program features15 local school districts to share best practices and integrate technology into classrooms to prepare students for future careers. The collaboration will benefit approximately 40,000 students from kindergarten to grade 12 in the Alle-Kiski Valley.

Penn State New Kensington landscape contrating major Ryan Kieffer checks out the hardscaping at the campus Lion Shrine. Kieffer, who started his own business, earned a scholarship from the College of Agricultural Sciences

Landscaping contracting major
Ryan Kieffer founded own business

UPPER BURREL, Pa – Ryan Kieffer, a freshman landscape contracting major at Penn State New Kensington, recently was awarded a scholarship by Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.

Kieffer, who runs his own landscaping business, earned a Barbara U. and Daniel J. Eichenlaub Trustee Scholarship. Established last year by Penn State alumnus Daniel Eichenlaub and his wife, Barbara, the scholarship helps the college support talented students. The Eichenlaubs geared their scholarship to first-year Ag Sciences students.

A reception in October at the University Park campus honored all Ag scholarship recipients, who met their benefactors in person. With one of the largest scholarship endowments at Penn State, Agricultural Sciences gives out nearly $2.5 million in scholarship support each year. Keiffer was seated at the table with Daniel Eichenlaub.

“I sat next to Mr. Eichenlaub, and he was extremely informative the whole night, pointing out all the ‘big wigs’ in the room” said Kieffer, whose table was front and center in the room. “I felt a connection with Mr. Eichenlaub due to the fact that we are both landscapers. Granted, his business towers over mine, but he was very interested in what I do and how my business is going.”

Eichenlaub is president and co-founder of Eichenlaub Inc., a full-service, design-build landscape construction and maintenance company that has served the greater Pittsburgh area for more than 40 years. He delivered the commencement address to Ag Sciences graduates in May at University Park.

In addition to sitting next to Eichenlaub, Kieffer sat across the table from Provost Nick Jones. The proximity didn’t allow much conversation with the provost during dinner, but it picked up afterwards.

“Provost Jones took the time to congratulate me on my scholarship, and we struck up conversation right away,” Kieffer said. “He was very interested in my business and my schooling. He is an extremely kind and considerate gentleman, and it was great to talk to him.”

Kieffer Landscaping
A native of Plum, Pennsylvania, Kieffer owns Kieffer Landscaping, which he started while in Plum High School. The company offers many services, including hardscaping, which refers to working with masonry materials such as concrete, brick and stone. Kieffer prepared for a career in landscaping at a young age.

“I spent my days on our old tractor, trying to make our yard look perfect,” Kieffer said. “My passion continued in high school, so I started my own landscaping business.”

As his customer base grew, his knowledge about his line of work grew as well. To slake his landscaping thirst, Kieffer’s mother pointed him to college. Penn State offered the program he needed to complement his business.

“It was during my high school years that my mom was trying to help me find a major that would best suit me,” Kieffer said. “When I saw the Landscape Contracting program at Penn State, I knew it was the perfect fit for me.”

Although the New Kensington campus does not offer the landscape contracting major, its 2 + 2 program allows Kieffer to fulfill his general education requirements before moving on to the University Park campus to complete his bachelor’s degree studies. New Kensington’s learning environment helps Keiffer keep up with his studies and on top of his company.

“Penn State New Kensington offers smaller class sizes, and that appealed to my learning style,” Kieffer said. “I commute and it is close to home, which I really like. I could have gone to a community college, but I wanted to go to New Kensington because of the prestigious level of education.”

The Ag College scholarship was not the only scholarship Kieffer received. The New Kensington campus awarded him a Hazel L. Hug scholarship. The campus also holds a reception for scholarship recipients and donors in the fall.

Kieffer is already mapping out his landscaping plans after he earns his degree in 2019. He wants to expand his business and would be willing to learn more under the tutelage of a master landscaper, such as Daniel Eichenlaub.

“My ultimate goal is to own a large scale, full-service landscaping company,” Keiffer said. “I would be willing to work with a reputable landscaping business to learn more about the business aspect.”

Michael Bestwick's horse head sculpture is made from scrap materials and is a part of his "Found " exhibit that runs through Jan. 30 at Penn State New Kensington.

“Found” exhibit features sculptures made from discarded materials

“The inspiration that drives the creation of my functional and sculptural works is derived from the discards of the current culture, which have been deemed useless by their loss of profitability.”--Michael Bestwick

UPPER BURRELL, Pa. -- Artist Michael Bestwick makes his Penn State New Kensington Art Gallery debut in January with a solo exhibition “Found.” The show runs until Jan. 30.

Bestwick’s art is the re-purposing of garden-variety objects. Working with found materials, he creates sculptural and functional pieces. A commercial truck driver and mechanical fabricator by trade, Bestwick found that his knack for mechanical achievements translated into the creativity and deft hand skills needed for artistic endeavors.

“When I was doing fabrication in the field, it was common to scrounge around and make do with whatever materials were available on site,” said Bestwick, a native of Saxonburg. “Using those same techniques for sculpture, I soon realized the rusting and weathering of the material gave my pieces a natural finish that is otherwise sometimes faked.”

Bestwick always possessed creative instincts and a natural ability to draw. An art class at Butler Country Community College confirmed his impressionist style. Succumbing to his artistic prowess, he joined the Saxonburg Area Artists Co-op in 2010, and his avocation quickly evolved into a vocation.

“I entered the cooperative as a painter of pastels, but my fellow artists encouraged me to incorporate my skills with welders, oxygen and acetylene torches to produce sculpture and contemporary furniture,” Bestwick said.

A year later, he turned discarded 55-gallon drums into abstract sculptures using his mechanical instincts and the tools of his trade. An owl he created out of a burn barrel, stood at the entrance to the artists co-op galley until it closed in February. In addition, he created a series of contemporary furniture pieces from barn beams that had been hand-cut over a century ago.

The 46-year-old artist’s work began to gain notoriety. In 2012, he received a Three Rivers Arts Festival Emerging Artist Scholarship and the Geraldine Freeling Award, as well as acceptance into the Pittsburgh Society of Artists, a group that provides members opportunities to exhibit their art. Two years later, he earned a Jurors award at the arts festival in Pittsburgh. The career change was complete.

“The success of these works led to encouraging and life-changing events,” Bestwick said. “I received numerous invitations to instruct at public and private schools. These achievements and recognition have validated my belief in myself and my desire to pursue a full-time vocation as a professional artist.”

Bestwick graduated from Knoch High School. He resides in the Village of Fenelton in Butler County.

A reception for the artist is set from 6 to 8 p.m., Friday, Jan. 22, in the gallery. The reception and exhibit are free to the public. The gallery is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., weekdays and noon to 5 p.m., weekends.

For more information, call Tina Sluss, 724-34-6056.

For photos of the exhibit, visit http://psnk.smugmug.com/

 A function chair sculpture by Michael Bestwick.

'Financial Aid 101' offers tips on the process, FAFSA

UPPER BURRELL, Pa. -- First-year students’ schedules are dominated by 100-level courses. Parents can emulate their students’ learning with their own introductory course on the financial aid process at Penn State New Kensington.

Geared to prospective students and parents, “Financial Aid 101” is set for 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 14, and 2 p.m., Monday, Jan. 18, in the campus Conference Center. Seminar participants can learn how financial aid awards are determined and the types of student aid that is available.

In addition, the challenge of filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can become less daunting. Parents and students can get an in-depth look at the FAFSA and receive an explanation of the logic behind the questions. Instructors will provide tips on how to complete the form from a home computer.

FAFSA is the first step in the financial aid process. Families need it to apply for federal student financial aid, such as the Pell Grant, student loans and college work-study. Most states and schools use FAFSA information to award their financial aid. Penn State recommends that the FAFSA be completed by March 1st for fall enrollment.

The event is sponsored by the offices of Admissions and Financial Aid at Penn State New Kensington. Light refreshments will be served.

To register for the seminar, call 724-334-LION or 888-968-PAWS or visit http://www.nk.psu.edu/Admissions/admevents.htm

Dorial Broadwater (5) is shooting better than 80 percent from the foul line. He leads Penn State New Kensington in scoring with 17.6 points per game.

Alle-Kiski Society invites local Penn Staters to
campus basketball game

3 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 16, Athletics Center

UPPER BURRELL, Pa. -- The Alle-Kiski Society of the Penn State Alumni Association, in conjunction with a Penn State New Kensington men's basketball home game, is sponsoring a Pizza Social on Saturday, Jan. 16, following the 3 p.m. conference contest in the campus' Athletics Center.

Penn State alumni and friends are invited to join fellow Penn Staters to cheer on the New Kensington Lions and enjoy free pizza during post-game festivities in the lobby of the center. Third-year coach Art McCray’s team takes on Penn State Hazleton in a Penn State University Athletic Conference match. The team, 0-5 in PSUAC and 3-9 overall, is looking for its first conference victory of the season.

McCray’s Lions are led in scoring by sophomore guard Dorian Broadwater (Steel Valley High School) with 17.9 points per game, 8th in the conference. Broadwater also tops the team in rebounding with 7 per game, 14th in PSUAC. He is second on the team and eighth in the conference in free-throw shooting percentage at .801.

Junior guard Jordan Williams (East Allegheny) is scoring at a 14.1 points per game clip, second on the team. His team-leading .823 free-throw percentage is fourth in the PSUAC.

Lou Payne (Huntingtown High, Md.), a 5-foot-7 guard, is hitting 3-pointers at a 40 percent clip, good for eighth in the conference. The versatile Payne averages nearly 9 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals, while dishing out over 3 assists per game.

The team’s lone senior, Payne will graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in information sciences and technology. He carries a 3.35 grade-point average and is a member of the Academic All Conference team.

McCray, a former student-athlete at the campus, is looking to return New Kensington to the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Eight years ago, coach Ryan Shank’s team, 22-6 and ranked sixth nationally in the U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association, suffered its only conference loss of the season in the championship game, falling to Penn State Abington.

Winning conference championships was a tradition at Penn State New Kensington. As a player at the campus, the 6-foot-6 McCray helped the New Kensington Lions to two conference championships in 1996 and 1997. Men’s basketball has won 14 titles, the most of any PSUAC teams. The last conference championship was in 2001, under coach Joe Molito.

Lou Payne (4) is about to execute a cross over dribble      Alle-Kiski Society members and alumni cheer on the basketball team
against Penn State York.                                                    at last year's Pizza Social.

Alle-Kiski Society
Based at the campus, the Alle-Kiski Society of the Penn State Alumni Association engages in various campus projects throughout the year, interacting with alumni and current students through social and fundraising events and other networking activities. In the past four years, the society has increased its scholarship endowment from $51,000 to $109,000. In addition to its scholarship largesse, the alumni organization, which comprises Penn State graduates from the New Kensington and University Park campuses, made a $10,000 gift to campus athletics for equipment for the cardiovascular fitness room. At its November meeting, the society donated $750 to the campus THON committee.

The spring fundraiser is the annual Bowlathon, and it is scheduled from 1 to 4 p.m., Sunday, March 13, at Wildlife Lanes in Lower Burrell. This is a family fun event for students, parents, alumni, faculty, staff and friends of Penn State. The entry fee is $20 and includes three games and shoe rental. Four- or five-person teams may sign up, or individuals may sign up and be assigned to a short-handed team. Lane sponsorships are available for $50 and $100. For more information, contact John Spadaro at 734-337-8536.

The bowlathon proceeds support the society’s endowed scholarship and campus projects. In the fall, the society awarded a record $5,500 in scholarships recently to four Penn State New Kensington students: Lynsie Headley of Ford City; Alissa Dolensky of Lower Burrell; Adis Juklo of Pittsburgh; and Carley Carnahan of Lower Burrell.

The Alle-Kiski Society Endowed Scholarship was established in 1992 and fully endowed at $15,000 six years later. The society surpassed the coveted $100,000 mark in May. The endowment now stands at $109,000, more than double its number of $51,000 five years ago. As the scholarship fund grows, so does the amount of the annual awards. A total of $1,300 in scholarships went to the first campus recipients -- Kelly Doyle, Tara Murrell and Nicholas Wichowski. This year, the four students each got more than the total of the inaugural recipients. Since 1998, the society has awarded $53,500 to 59 campus students.

New and recent Penn State graduates are encouraged to attend the monthly board meetings at 6:30 p.m. on the third Monday of the month. The next meeting is Monday, Feb. 15, at The Elks Lodge in Tarentum.

For more information or to RSVP for the alumni basketball social, contact Bill Woodard at uxw1@psu.edu

For more on the Alle-Kiski Society, visit http://www.nk.psu.edu/Alumni/alumorg.htm

For more on the basketball team, visit http://psnkathletics.com/sports/mbkb/index

Jim Shields, career services coordinator at Penn State New Kensington, helps students find internships and jobs.

Campus 11th winner Jim Shields is ‘job fair’ guru

“On the last week of the semester,
my Penn State Today gave to me:
Eleven We Are! winners…”

UPPER BURRELL, Pa. – The cast of the movie “Ocean’s 11” featured 11 famous Hollywood actors; The cast of the initiative Penn State “We Are” features 11 remarkable Penn State New Kensington staff. With the Dec. 18 announcement that Jim Shields, career services coordinator, is a “We Are!” recipient, the campus now claims 11 We Are! badges of excellence.

“We Are!,” a weekly feature of the daily email publication Penn State Today, is a University-wide initiative that was launched in February to provide students, faculty and staff with a platform to give kudos to fellow Penn Staters for work that goes above and beyond their job duties or responsibilities.

Shields is the 11th staff member from the New Kensington campus to receive the honor in 2015. Nancy Miller, co-director of continuing education, started the We Are! deluge in February. She was followed by Corinne Coulson, enrollment specialist, Kevin Churik, information technology generalist, Jennifer Marino, assistant director for financial aid, Danielle DeStefano, assistant director of enrollment management, Susan Dale, administrative support assistant in the Office of Academic Affairs, Nancy Burns, staff assistant VI for the Office of Enrollment Management, Karen Harlan, multimedia specialist, Lauren Blum, assistant to the director of student affairs, and Diana Hill, administrative support assistant. All were nominated by campus colleagues or students for personifying Penn State’s commitment of service to the community. In the inaugural year of the program, New Kensington cornered the We Are! market with the most honorees among Penn State Commonwealth campuses.

Kevin Snider, chancellor of the New Kensington campus, praised the recipients for shining the Penn State spotlight on New Kensington. He encouraged the campus community to recommend other colleagues for the honor.

“The word is getting out about what a great campus and community we are,” Snider said. “It's a great way to continue to get our fantastic community recognized outside the campus.”

A “We Are” candidate could be a staff member taking extra steps to make sure a project is completed, a student organizing a charitable event, an administrator doing something special for employees, or a faculty member taking additional time to advise students.

To nominate a “We Are” candidate from the campus community, visit http://news.psu.edu/WeAre

To view “We Are” stories, visit http://news.psu.edu/story/359184/2015/06/01/we-are-thankful-these-penn-staters

Shields and job fairs
Shields’ nominator wrote: "Jim Shields is known in the region as the guru of job fairs and a master of student professional development! His ability to organize the chaos of these large events is unmatched. We are truly grateful to Jim for his dedication to students and support to them as they navigate the job search process."

Shields, who received a bachelor’s degree from Bucknell University and a master’s degree in student affairs in higher education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, has been at the campus since 1999. As coordinator, he is responsible for career planning, education, and job search support services for students and alumni of Penn State. Shields works with students and employers on internships and job fairs.

One of the events Shields helped develop is the annual Alle-Kiski Job Fair every October. Sponsored by the campus and Pennsylvania CareerLink of Alle-Kiski, the fair is free to to Penn State students and alumni, as well as the public. More than 60 recruiters are available to provide career options for those beginning a career or seeking a change in vocation. Local job-seekers can interview with regional companies regarding employment opportunities in a variety of fields, including health care, finance, retail and manufacturing. Last year, nearly 600 prospective employees attended the event, which features full- and part-time employment, internships and co-op opportunities with employers in the local region.

  Campus students, Penn State alumni and the local community can land interviews at the annual Alle-Kiski Job Fair at Penn State New Kensington.

Another event that brings employers to campus is Career Day at the annual Research and Creative Exposition. The exposition provides students, under the guidance of a faculty adviser, with the opportunity to conduct research, draw conclusions and present their information in a public setting. Career Day complements the expo by creating new opportunities for the students and faculty to build stronger contacts with local industries through sharing of career information while also highlighting the campus' numerous research and creative activities. The spring 2016 expo is April 12.

Shields also is the contact for off-campus job fairs, such as Western Pennsylvania Career Services (WestPacs) Association and Westmoreland Assists Native Talent (WANT). More than 120 national and local employers offering internships and jobs in a wide variety of industries, government agencies and nonprofit organizations will be on hand at the WestPacs Spring Job and Internship Fair. The fair is geared toward fall and spring graduates and recent alumni holding degrees and certificates. Shields is the chair of the student marketing committee of WestPacs. According to Shields, the event features full- and part-time employment, internships and co-op opportunities, both regionally and nationally. The event is set for March 9 at the Monroeville Convention Center.

Penn State students and recent graduates can get a head start on the job market at the WANT Job and Career Expo. The WANT job fair is designed to link the region's students and graduates with employers and careers in Westmoreland and surrounding counties. The job fair is open to the public. More than 70 employers will be at the expo, and job seekers are encouraged to bring resumes and to dress professionally. The fair is scheduled for Feb. 23 at the Ramada Inn in Greensburg.

For more information or to register for events, contact Shields at 724-334-6065 or xjs8@psu.edu

GREAT program
In addition to career services, Shields oversees the campus’ GREAT program, which matches promising engineering and IST students with local internship opportunities. The program is a partnership of the New Kensington campus, Penn State Electro-Optics Center and industries within the greater Pittsburgh region. Whereas most internships are geared to juniors and seniors, GREAT interns can begin as soon as their first year in college.

For selection into the GREAT program, qualified engineering and IST majors are put through a competitive interview process with campus faculty and the business partners. Promising students are awarded four-year paid internships that provide opportunities to develop professional skills and gain workplace experience.

This spring, 15 freshmen, the largest GREAT class in the five-year-old program, received internships at well-known companies throughout the region.

For more about the GREAT program, visit www.nk.psu.edu/GREATprogram

Other awards
The campus recognized Shields contributions to student success in June when he was earned the Outstanding Service to Students award. The citation recognized a staff member who promoted a consistent student-centered environment. Criteria include demonstrating a positive campus experience, furthering academic achievement, helping to make education more accessible and affordable, and contributing to the development of students both personally and professionally.