The recently released movie, “The Haunting in Connecticutt” is based on a case that John Zaffis, “Godfather of the Paranormal” and founder of the Paranormal Society of New England actually worked on.

This is just one of the cases he will discuss when he appears at Penn State Worthington Scranton on Thursday, April 16 to give a presentation on his work and experiences with the paranormal.

The lecture will be from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Study Learning Center’s K. Bruce Sherbine Lounge. It is free and open to the public. After his presentation, he will lead students and interested individuals on a live ghost hunt on the campus.

Mr. Zaffis has over 30 years experience studying and investigating the paranormal and is considered one of the foremost authorities in the field today.

He has investigated hauntings, ghosts and poltergeists, and has also studied demonology and exorcism. He has worked with Roman Catholic priests, monks, Buddhists, rabbis and ministers and assisted and worked with well-known exorcists Bishop Robert McKenna, Malachi Martin and the Rev. Jun.

He also works with spiritualists and psychics for their knowledge of channeling, reincarnation,  the calling of spirits for information, and how they use meditation to acquire information.  His personal experiences with hautings, extra-sensory perception (ESP), near-death experiences and other paranormal experiences have made him firm in his conviction that such phenomena exist.

His research has taken him throughout the United States, Canada, England and Scotland, working on several thousand cases. He is considered

Mr.  Zaffis has been featured on the Discovery Channel, has appeared on Unsolved Mysteries, Fox News Live and has authored a book, “Shadows of the Dark” co-written with Brian McIntyre. He is now working on multiple follow-up books and lectures all over the U.S. at colleges and universities.

After spending years working and studying hard to earn their degrees, college students look forward to graduating and landing that first ‘real’ job.

However, today’s economy has made finding, and landing, that job much harder than it was for past graduating classes.  Today’s graduates need to not only put more time and effort into finding, and applying for, available jobs, they also need to have as many skills as possible in order to set them apart from other applicants.

With that in mind, Penn State Worthington Scranton recently offered two events aimed at helping students get a leg up on their competition in today’s tough job market.

The Worthington Scranton Alumni Society and Student Activities Fee Board recently co-sponsored an Etiquette Luncheon for over 100 students. A professional consultant walked students through a formal dining experience, similar to what they will eventually face in the business world.

Carol Rubel of CWR Consulting Services explained that knowing how to properly handle oneself during a formal setting, such as the one created for them during the etiquette luncheon, could mean the difference of being hired or promoted, so it is vital that they have these skills, along with their academic knowledge and experience.

Students learned proper manners and business acumen for various situations, ranging from the simple – turn off or silence your cell phone before sitting down to dine – to more sticky situations – your salad has an olive and upon putting it into your mouth, you realize it has a pit. What do you do?  The proper answer, according to Ms. Rubel is to remove it as discreetly as possible by using your fork to return it to the plate.

In addition to the etiquette luncheon, Worthington Scranton’s Career Services Department held its annual job fair on Wednesday, giving students the chance to meet and network with dozens of regional employers who are either looking to hire new employees in the near future, or who are interested in finding students to serve internships with them.

Students visited various employers throughout the day, including companies in financial services, publishing, insurance, medicine and others, as well as several military branches. They were able to fill out information request forms, applications and, most importantly, made personal connections with recruiters they were interested in.

“We were very fortunate in being able to get such a wide range of area employers here today,” said Sophia Robles, co-ordinator of Student Programs and Services, and organizer of the Job Fair.  “This type of event is especially helpful for students who will be graduating this year, as it puts them in touch with regional companies that are hiring, and also helps current students who are interested in internships or learning more about a particular business. I am happy to see such a good turnout.”

Corey Chorba, a junior at Penn State Worthington Scranton, recently presented at the 38th Annual Meeting of the Society for Cross-Cultural Research (SCCR) in Las Vegas.

Mr. Chorba, a Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) major, has been doing undergraduate research with Dr. Parminder Parmar, an assistant HDFS professor who had asked him to make the presentation and presented with him.

The presentation was “Parental Acceptance in Childooh, Intimate Partner Attachment and Psychological Well-Being Among College Students in the U.S.”

“The main goal of this research was to explore relationships among perceived maternal and paternal acceptance-rejection in childhood,  intimate  partner attachment, and psychological adjustment among college students in the US.” Mr. Chorba explained.

“It is ground-breaking research in the field of parental acceptance, rejection and adult attachment,” Dr. Parmar added. The results show that the more accepting men and women remembered both their mothers and fathers to have been when the respondents were children, the better their psychological adjustment. The results also show that for males their psychological adjustment and father’s love for females is better predictor of intimate partner attachment for college students.

Dr. Parmar has been involved with this research for past several years and said it has been conducted  in several countries throughout the world.

 “Cross- Cultural Research: The Journal of Comparative Social Science” published a special issue in February, 2008 that has two research articles published by Dr. Parmar – “Relations Among Spouse Acceptance, Remembered Parental Acceptance in Childhood and Psychological Adjustment Among Married Adults in India” and “Relations Among Spouse Acceptance, Remembered Parental Acceptance in Childhood, and Psychological Adjustment Among Married Adults in Kuwait.”

The recent Annual Meeting of SCCR was Mr. Chorba’s first in presenting at the national level, but it is one he hopes to repeat, as he plans to continue doing this type of research while completing his studies at Penn State Worthington Scranton.  His goal is to be able to present more of his findings at next year's SCCR event in Alberquerque, New Mexico.

“I enjoyed the experience a lot,” he said, “as I got to meet some very well-known people in my field of study, such as Dr Murray Strauss, Dr. Ronald Rohner and Dr. Abdul Khaleque, both of whom have done a lot of cross-cultural research.”

SCCR was founded in 1971 and is a multi-disciplinary organization of about 150 members. All of its members are professionals and students from social science fields and related fields, who share a common devotion to the conduct of cross-cultural research. The purpose of the Society is to support and encourage interdisciplinary,  comparative research that has, as its objective, the establishment of scientifically described generalizations about human behavior.”

This seminar is free and open to the public and will be held in Room 14 of the Dawson Building. “It is a program that would be beneficial to both developmental and clinical  psychologists, as well as social workers and medical professionals,” said Dr. Parminder Parmar, assistant professor of HDFS.

It is being presented by the Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) department at the campus, which currently offers both bachelor’s and associate’s degrees in HDFS.

Dr. Rohner received his Ph.D. and Master’s in (Psychological) Anthropology from Stanford University and his bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Oregon.

He is also currently CEO of ROHNER RESEARCH (Consultants in Family Issues), Professor Emeritus of Family Studies and Anthropology at the University of Connecticut, and does consulting and outreach regarding parenting styles and their developmental effects on children.

He has also made numerous presentations for radio, television, newspapers, the internet and popular magazines, as well as advertising and consulting with individuals and public and private agencies throughout the United States and internationally.

Dr. Rohner also serves as an advisor and consultant to several national parent education programs and responds to about 500 inquiries each year about parental acceptance-rejection theory, methods and procedures, and instruments available through the Rohner Center (CSIAR).

Penn State Worthington Scranton is proud to present Dr. Rohner and invites interested individuals and professionals to hear this very accomplished HDFS professional. 

HDFS Month at the campus highlights this program at Worthington Scranton. The program focuses specifically on community human services, helping students prepare for positions within the community human service agencies serving children, adolescents, families, and the aged.

Typical employment settings include preschools, daycare centers, hospital programs for children, youth, and families, institutional and community mental health programs, programs for abused/neglected children and adolescents, women's resource centers, human resources programs, employee assistance programs, nursing homes, area agencies on aging and other community settings for older adults, and public welfare/family service agencies.

For more information on this event, or the HDFS program at Worthington Scranton, call 963-2500.

Samantha Snead, a sophomore at Penn State Worthington Scranton, and member of its women’s cross-country team, had a record-setting season this past year and is now making history.

After setting four Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) course records, and winning an individual PSUAC state title, Ms. Snead also placed second at the United States Collegiate Athletic Association’s National Championship meet in Virginia.

Now, Ms. Snead has learned that she will be a member of the Penn State women’s cross country team at University Park for the Fall 2009 season.  She will also be joining the track team for both the indoor and outdoor seasons, and will likely run the 3000 or 5000 meter events.

She is the first female athlete in Penn State Worthington Scranton history to be offered the opportunity to move on to the National Collegiate Atheltic Association Division I level from the PSUAC. 

She received the news after meeting with University Park assistant cross-country/track coach John Gondak.  Worthington Scranton’s assistant athletic director, Jeff Mallas, and cross-country coach Gary Edstrom accompanied her to the meeting.
“Coach Gondak was impressed with Sam's times throughout the season, but even moreso with her performance at the Run for the Diamonds 9-mile road race, held this past Thanksgiving Day, where Sam covered the distance in 58 minutes and 50 seconds,” Mr. Mallas said.

Snead, a kinesiology major from Moscow, also made the PSUAC Academic All-Conference this past fall and was a dean’s list student with a 4.0 grade point average. She is also a PSUAC All Conference and USCAA All-American team member.

Michael Evans, MSN, RN, CNS, CMSRN, a nursing instructor at Penn State Worthington Scranton, has written an article that has been accepted for publication in a national medical journal.

Mr. Evans’ article, “Solutions to the Nurse Faculty Shortage: A Response to the AACN (American Association of Colleges of Nursing AACN)” is slated to appear in the December, 2009 issue of MEDSURG Nursing, The Journal of Adult Health.

MEDSURG Nursing is the official journal of the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN). It is a peer-reviewed publication that features a comprehensive discussion and description of current clinical issues in adult health/medical surgical nursing practice. It is published six times per year.

An instructor at Penn State Worthington Scranton since 2003, Mr. Evans said the subject matter of the article he submitted had been a personal interest area of research for him.  Upon completing the piece, he submitted it to the journal and was very pleased when he was notified that it would be published.

Mr. Evans received his associate’s degree in nursing from Penn State in 2002, his bachelor’s degree in nursing from Penn State in 2003, and a Master of Science degree in nursing, with a specialization in Adult Health and a sub-specialization in Nursing Education, from Misericordia University in 2008.

He presently works as a patient care coordinator for the medical/surgical/oncology and pediatric units at Moses Taylor Hospital, and teaches at Penn State Worthington Scranton, Misericordia University, and the Lackawanna County Career Technology Center.

He is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists and the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses, as well as the American Nurses Association and the American Diabetes Association.

He lives in Archbald with his wife, Stephanie.

Dr. Mosley’s lecture at at Fu Jen Catholic University in Taipei, Taiwan “Realism and Class in Contemporary Cinema:  Some European Examples,”  focused on how cinema may represent new approaches to class necessitated by the rise of a large population of the workless, the homeless, political refugees, and migrant workers.

“The idea of "realist" cinema also begs to be rethought in relation to these new representations,” Dr. Mosley said. “(In my lecture) I used examples from two dramas, “The Promise and The Child” about such marginal members of society, directed by the Dardenne brothers from Belgium, about whom I am currently writing a book, and from “Dirty Pretty Things,” a drama by British director Stephen Frears that deals with London's illegal immigrant underclass.

His presentation was made at the invitation of Dr. Ying-ying Chien, director of the university’s comparative literature graduate program.  Dr. Chien had previously taught at Penn State some years ago. Fu Jen Catholic University is a large institution located in Taipei, the capital city of Taiwan.

When the English Royal Opera staged “Die tote Stadt”  by Erich Wolfgang Korngold at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London in January, Dr. Mosley provided a four-page write-up for the program book. His short essay, titled, “From Page to Stage,” is about the derivation of Korngold's opera from Rodenbach's 1892 novel, “Bruges-la-Morte”.

Dr. Mosley translated “Bruges-la-Morte” from French into English in 1986, with a new edition published in 2007.

In 2008, he received the Prix de la Traduction Litteraire from the French Community of Belgium for his translations of Belgian authors.

Four Penn State Worthington Scranton students were recently honored by the campus community during a special ceremony for being named to the United States Collegiate Athletic Association's (USCAA) National All-Academic Team for their academic achievements.

In order to attain this level of recognition by the USCAA, student athletes must maintain a 3.5 or higher grade point average during their season(s) of play.

Kim Janosko, an education major from Sayre, was named to the USCAA National All-Academic Women’s Volleyball Team. She is seen below accepting her award from Assistant Athletic Director Jeff Mallas, at left, and Dr. Mary-Beth Krogh-Jespersen, chancellor, right.

Paul Prislupsky, a DUS major from Olyphant, was named to the USCAA National All Academic Men’s Soccer Team. He is seen below accepting his award from Assistant Athletic Director Jeff Mallas, at left, and Dr. Mary-Beth Krogh-Jespersen, chancellor, right.

Robin Schafer, a business major from Newfoundland, and Justyna Thomas, Communications, Honesdale, were both named to the USCAA National All-Academic Women’s Cross Country Team. Below, left, Schafer is seen below accepting her award from Assistant Athletic Director Jeff Mallas, at left, and Dr. Mary-Beth Krogh-Jespersen, chancellor, right.  Below, right, Thomas accepts her award.

The students were all honored during a recent campus-wide celebration, where they were honored for their acheivements, along with members of Worthington Scranton’s Women’s Cross Country team, which this year competed and placed in its first showing at the USCAA’s National Championship, placing third in the 6K race.  They also won their second consecutive Penn State University Athletic Conference Championship (PSUACC).

“We want to honor and congratulate these athletes for their efforts and for their significant contributions to our teams and to our campus,” said Jeff Mallas, assistant athletic director.  “We are all proud of their accomplishments.”

Penn State Worthington Scranton’s Lady Lions basketball player, Jessica Plisko, was named the  United States Collegiate Athletic Association’s (USCAA) Women’s Basketball Co-Player of the Week for Jan. 19-25.

Plisko, a freshman kinesiology major and Moosic resident, received the honor after scoring 27 points and making five rebounds and six assists during Penn State Worthington Scranton’s recent 59-52 win over Penn State Fayette. It was the team’s first win this season.

She also scored 23 points in a prior match against Penn College that same week, giving her an average of 25 points per game, during the week for which she was honored.

Plisko is one of several Worthington Scranton athletes to be honored by the USCAA this past year.  Other honorees include the women's cross-country team, which placed third in the 6K race during the USCAA National Championships in Virginia, and individual athletes who were named to USCAA's Naitonal All-Academic Team for maintaining a 3.5 grade point average or higher during their season of play:  Kimberly Janosko, an education major from Sayre; Paul Prislupksy, a DUS major from Olyphant; Robin Schafer, a business major from Newfoundland; and Justyna Thomas, a communications major from Honesdale.

Gary Drapek ’80 will be named the Penn State Worthington Scranton Alumni Society’s 2008 Alumnus of the Year at a campus reception in his honor on Tuesday, Feb. 17.

Mr. Drapek is president and chief executive officer for United Way of Lackawanna County.  He joined the United Way of Lackawanna County in 1987 as vice president of marketing and public relations, a position he held for 12 years.  He also served as vice president of communications for Condron & Company, Scranton, before returning to the United Way in August, 2002.

In April, 2003, he was presented with the “Restoring Pride in Scranton” award by Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty for his civic and professional work in the City of Scranton.  In 2008, he received the Lackawanna County Bar Association’s Community Service Award.

He is the author of three published works focusing on effective communication techniques:  Ignite Business – Train Your Sights on Specific Objectives; Advanced Preparation: Key to Effective Crisis Management; and, Ingenuity and Planning Important on Limited Ad Budget. 

He was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in 1980 from Penn State University and currently serves on the boards of the Scranton Counseling Center, Lackawanna-Susquehanna Mental Health/Mental Retardation Agency, Scranton Tomorrow and The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, as well as serving on The Pennsylvania Association of Non-Profit Organizations Standards of Ethics Committee, Johnson College President’s Advisory Circle and the Governor’s Advisory Board of Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts.

Mr. Drapek is also chairman of the Board of the United Way of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, a trustee of the McNulty Charitable Trust and a past president of All Saints Academy’s Parent Teacher Organization.

He resides in Scranton with his wife, Susan and daughter, Laura Elizabeth.

The Penn State Worthington Scranton Alumni Society will honor Mr. Drapek as its Alumnus of the Year, with a special reception in his honor on Feb. 17, in the K. Bruce Sherbine Lounge in Penn State Worthington Scranton’s Study Learning Center.  For more information, or to RSVP, call 963-2536.  A Feb. 19 snow date has also been set.

The women defeated PSUAC teams from Penn College, Mont Alto, Dubois and Lehigh Valley. They also defeated Pennsylvania Collegiate Athletic Association (PCAA) teams from Luzerne County Community College in Nanticoke, Community College of Philadelphia, and Johnson College, Scranton, ending their PSUAC season with an overall record of 29 wins and 4 losses.

The women’s team was recognized during a special awards ceremony, where members received commemorative trophies.  Chris Lee Depew, president of the Greater Scranton Penn State Chapter also presented the women with team jackets sponsored by the organization. Team members are:  Nichole Blasi, Stephanie Emerick, Elizabeth Jones, Rebecca Kinsey, Amanda Klimasiewfski, Robin Schafer, Sarahjean Seymour, Samantha Snead and Justyna Thomas.  Gary Edstrom is the team’s head coach, and Carla Smith, is assistant coach.

Individual campus athletes were also recognized for receiving USCAA National All-Academic Team honors for maintaining a 3.5 or greater grade point average while participating in their sport. Samantha Snead, who placed second overall in the USCAA National Championship, was named a USCAA All American. Robin Schafer and Justyna Thomas, who were named to the USCAA National All-Academic Women’s Cross Country Team. Paul Prislupsky was named to the USCAA National All Academic Men’s Soccer Team.

Chancellor Mary-Beth Krogh-Jespersen, Ph.D., recently recognized staff and faculty members for their years of service during a special campus awards luncheon held at the campus for faculty and staff. Recognized for 40 years of service were Dr. Richard Fitzsimmons, librarian, and Dr. Marlene Soulsby, associate professor of English; Dr. Philip Mosley, professor of English and comparative literature; and Mostafa “Morri” Tossi, P.E., senior engineering instructor, were both recognized for their 20 years of service.

Dr. Fitzsimmons is recognized by Dr. Krogh-Jespersen for 40 years of service as librarian at the campus.

Morrie Tossi was honored for his 20 years of teaching by Dr. Krogh-Jespersen.                                

Kathryn Carney, nursing instructor, received an award for her 15 years of service.  Dr. Janet Melnick, human development and family studies instructor, and Dr. Beatrice Rivera-Barnes, assistant professor of Spanish, were honored for 5 years of service. 

Dr. Beatriz Rivera-Barnes received recognition for five years of service by Dr. Krogh-Jespersen.

Staff members recognized included Linda Cominsky, Learning Center specialist, for 20 years of service; Margie Williams, Continuing Education staff assistant, for 10 years of service; and Christine Healey, finance office staff assistant, and Mary Hawley, food services group leader, who were both recognized for five years of service.   George Witkowski, maintenance, who is retiring this year, was recognized for his 23 years with Worthington Scranton.

 

Mary Hawley was honored by Dr. Krogh-Jespersen for five years of service.

George Witkowski received a Certificate of Appreciation for his 23 years of service.

                                                                                                                                   2008 Turkey Trot participants line up at the starting line.

The annual event, a tradition at Worthington Scranton since 2004 is a two-mile race held on the campus’s cross country trail.  Participants can choose to run or walk, with the top runners from the staff, faculty and student body earning first-place medals, commemorating their run.

This year, the number of participants was double that of last year, said Jeff Mallas, assistant athletic director at the campus.

First place winners in each category were:

Female Student:  Samantha Snead                         

Male Student: Frankie Spear                         

Female Staff/Faculty:  MaryBeth Dougherty         

Male Staff/Faculty:  Carl Albright      

Other faculty/staff participants were Tina Merli, Marilee Mulvey and Michelle Nicoteri.  Student participants were:  Dustin Bowen, Johnnie Dang, Laura Lobritto, Mike Savastano, Elizabeth Jones, Chris Joseph, Alex Muentes, Dave Moss, Richard Robinson, Eric Rowitz, Michael Callahan, William Brew, Rebecca Kinsey, Nichole Blasi, Chris Meszler and Jeff McLaine.

Three local Penn State students and their professor recently presented at the Smith Undergraduate Science Research Symposium, held at Penn State York.

Discipline-based science undergraduate research projects conducted by students that are supervised by faculty, or projects investigated by faculty with assistance of students, are part of this refereed symposium proceedings publication.

In addition, faculty projects addressing research issues at all levels (undergraduate, graduate and beyond) are part of the non-refereed poster presentations. The symposium proceedings include the refereed and non-refereed abstracts and articles. In addition to the poster presentations, part of the selected papers from each discipline will be presented.

Prior Smith Symposiums have been held in October 2002 and 2006.

The group collected several boxes and numerous bags of non-perishable food items which it then delivered to the UNC in early November.

The WS Alumni Society is open to alumni who graduated from the WS campus or attended Worthington Scranton and finished their degrees at other Penn State locations. The group meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in Study Learning Center conference room. (Except for December when the group holds its annual holiday dinner party off campus)

These active volunteers suport the campus and host a variety of great annual events and fundraisers. For more information call Deborah Johnson at 963-2537.

The Blue & White Society is a student group that represents student membership of the Penn State Alumni Association with a mission to "enhance student life...while establishing a foundation for lifelong commitment to the University. Over the past few years, the group has sponsored and supported a variety of events on campus for students, faculty and staff.

Pictured above are Alumni Society and Blue & White Society members who participated in the collection.  Seated from left are Alumni Society President Louis Ingargiola, Vice-President Kathy Zielinski and Treasurer Carol Shamonsky. Standing from left are Rick Pambianco, Lisa Akulonis, Kathy Pliska, Jon Tabatabaie, Mechele Corry, Mike Corrigan, Carla Smith, Dawn Bauman, Thomas May, Michael Stout, Ann Marie Healey, Society Secretary Dean Butler, and John Durdan.

Steroids used to be thought of as a problem of professional athletes. Unfortunately, that is changing, with steroid use becoming more common in the general population, especially among student athletes.

According to some reports, students as young as those in junior high school have used steroids. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has estimated that more than a half million eighth- and tenth-grade students have used these drugs, and the mindset among high school seniors shows that almost 60 percent of them don’t think of these drugs as dangerous.

As a community outreach effort, Penn State Worthington Scranton will host a special presentation, “The Effects of Steroid Use” by Dr. P. Christopher Metzger on Dec. 11 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the university’s Multi-Purpose Building.  This presentation is free and open to the general public.

On November 6, Penn State Worthington Scranton welcomed back some very special guests for an Alumni Leadership Dinner that was part of the campus’s year-long observance of its 40^th anniversary.

Former Student Government Association presidents, including Joseph Kowalski, ’69, the first  president of the Worthington Scranton Student Government Association, returned to the campus to talk about how serving in leadership roles while at Worthington Scranton impacted their lives.

Kowalski urged the students and alumni in attendance to “learn, earn and return”, meaning that as they finish their studies and begin to make their way in the world, establishing careers and building lives, that they remember to give back.

The Class of 1969 was the first class to graduate from Worthington Scranton, which was established at its current location in 1968, with construction of the Dawson Building.  Kowalski recalled how at that time, there was only the Dawson Building, and their class was very small.

Today, Worthington Scranton has eight buildings, with another slated to open in Spring, 2009, has over 1,300 students, offers seven Baccalaureate degrees, six Associate degrees and the first two years of 160 Penn State majors. There are also 18 active student clubs and a variety of women’s and men’s sporting teams, including cross country, baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, volleyball and cheerleading.

In addition to Mr. Kowalski, other SGA presidents in attendance included Patrick Abdalla, ’00-’01; Jonathan Bossick, ’05-’06; Gina Butler, ’82-’83; Margo Cookson, ’04-’05; Jamie Stark Davis, ’94-’95; Dr. Darlene Dunay, ’76-’77; Guido Piccolino, ’93-’94; Anthony Portanova, ’01-’02; Jon Tabatabaie, ’97; and Tim VanDoren, ’03-’04.

They were joined by former alumni, current student leaders and campus officials.

The evening concluded with remarks by Jason “Chip” Chilipko, SGA president, who talked about his recent experiences of serving in a student leadership role and how serving as president of SGA has impacted him and his college experience.

In photo above, seated, left to right, are: Maria Russoniello, Director of Development; Joe Kowalski, guest speaker and SGA President, Class of 1969; and Dr. Mary-Beth Krogh-Jespersen, chancellor. Standing, left to right, Lisa Hatton, SGA Treasurer; Jason "Chip" Chilipko, SGA president; and Lou Ingargiola, Penn State Worthington Scranton Alumni Society president.

Penn State Worthington Scranton’s cross country teams ended a very successful year this past weekend, concluding their seasons at the United States Collegiate Athletic Association's (USCAA) National Championship meet at Southern Virginia University on October 31.

At the USCAA Nationals, which was the first-ever appearance there for the women’s team, the team finished third in the 6K race and some team members were individually recognized. 

Samantha Snead finished second overall, with a time of 25 minutes, 2 seconds -- earning USCAA All-American honors.  Robin Schafer and Justyna Thomas were named to the USCAA National All Academic Cross Country Team.  As a team, three runners placed in the top 12 and five in the top 30.

The men’s team finished sixth in the national competition.

One week before, in a championship meet on October 25 with Penn State Wilkes-Barre, Worthington Scranton’s Women’s Cross Country team came away with its second consecutive Penn State University Athletic Conference Championship (PSUACC).

Snead led the team to the victory, setting a course record for the 3.1-mile race, with a time of 17 minutes, 51 seconds.  Fellow team member Elizabeth Jones finished third, with a time of 19 minutes, 37 seconds.

The women defeated PSUAC teams from Penn College, Mont Alto, Dubois and Lehigh Valley. They also defeated Pennsylvania Collegiate Athletic Association (PCAA) teams from Luzerne County Community College in Nanticoke, Community College of Philadelphia, and Johnson College, Scranton, ending their PSUAC season with an overall record of 29 wins and 4 losses.

The team’s victory not only earned the women their second consecutive PSUACC championship title, it also paved the way for their appearance representing the PSUAC at the USCAA national championship.

Also during the October 25 championship meet, Worthington Scranton’s men's cross country team finished second, losing only to Penn College. Their second place Conference finish earned them an at-large bid to the national meet, with the top 10 runners moving on to the nationals. The men finished their PSUAC season with an overall record of 36 wins and 5 losses.

Penn State University and Penn State Worthington Scranton offer an alert system: PSUTXT Text Messaging Alert as a communication tool for getting out emergency campus and university information.

The emergency campus information will include "snow alerts", as well as any other situation that the campus administration deems necessary.

To sign up for this service and receive alert information on your cellular telephone, you will need to register at:  http://newswires.psu.edu/  

Scroll down to the blue-shaded area and click on the PSUTXT REGISTER, set-up your personal information, and choose the campus(es) you want to be notified of, when an emergency alert is issued.  (There is a default for University Park already checked.

If you don't want University Park notices, click on the associated box, and then click on Worthington Scranton and/or other campuses.) 

Please note that the subject line for Worthington Scranton alerts will read:  PSUWS ALERT  The information will then follow.   NOTE:  The university does not charge for this service, HOWEVER please check with your cell phone provider on text messaging charges/fees.  You may be charged a nominal fee by your carrier to receive this message.

Please note that the campus offers several other methods of communicating emergency campus information, such as snow delays, cancellations or closings, in the following manner:

Campus Website on our home page at:  http://www.ws.psu.edu/
Class Cancellations listing at: http://www2.sn.psu.edu/dynamic/cancellation.asp
Snow Information Telephone number at:  963-2766
Various television and radio stations

During their recent championship meet with Penn State Wilkes-Barre, Worthington Scranton’s Women’s Cross Country team came away with their second Penn State University Athletic Conference Championship (PSUACC).

Samantha Snead led the team to the victory, setting a course record for the 3.1-mile race, with a time of 17 minutes, 51 seconds.  Fellow team member Elizabeth Jones finished third, with a time of 19 minutes, 37 seconds.

The women defeated PSUAC teams from Penn College, Mont Alto, Dubois and Lehigh Valley. They also defeated Pennsylvania Collegiate Athletic Association (PCAA) teams from Luzerne County Community College in Nanticoke, Community College of Philadelphia, and Johnson College, Scranton, ending their PSUAC season with an overall record of 29 wins and 4 losses.

The team’s victory not only earned the women their second consecutive PSUACC championship title, it also earned them the right to represent the PSUAC at the United States Collegiate Athletic Association's (USCAA) national championship in Buena Vista, VA, on October 31.

During the same meet, Worthington Scranton’s men's cross country team finished second at the championship meet, losing only to Penn College. Their second place conference finish earned them an at-large bid to the national meet, with Worthington Scranton’s top 10 men runners moving on to the nationals. The men finished their PSUAC season with an overall record of 36 wins and 5 losses.

Elizabeth Jones, a student and member of the cross country team at Penn State Worthington Scranton, is featured in the October 22 edition of the Abington Journal, a local weekly newspaper.

Student-athlete Jones has overcome some adversities and credits her cross country success to both her high school coach and her current coach at Penn State, Gary Edstrom – who was named Coach of the Year in April by the Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC).

This past spring, the women’s cross country team was named League Champions of the Penn State University Athletic Conference and in February, the team joined the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA)

To read the full story on Jones, click on the link below to the Abington Journal’s website:  http://www.timesleader.com/AbingtonJournal/sports/Penn_State_runner_has_overcome_much_10-22-2008.html

 October has become known as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in order to encourage women of all ages to learn about the early warning signs of breast cancer, early detection methods and the importance of doing self-exams to increase early detection.

Tara Morgan, R.N., Penn State Worthington Scranton’s Health Services nurse, set up an informational table this week, aimed at making students, faculty and staff at the campus more aware of this serious health issue.

Ms. Morgan manned a table in the campus’s Study Learning Center, where she passed out brochures, planners and other goodies, all promoting awareness of this cancer, which will affect the lives of 1 in 8 women each year, and the important message of early detection.

She also spoke one on one with students about the disease, even giving those interested, a quick quiz on breast cancer facts and statistics.  Several were shocked to learn that breast cancer affects 1,500 men each year.

This week’s program was just one way in which the school is promoting October as National Breast Cancer Awareness month.  The campus bookstore has also gotten involved by putting up special displays and fundraising items for sale that benefit the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund.

Pictured above right are students who stopped by the National Breast Cancer Month Awareness informational table set up by Worthington Scranton Health Services Nurse, Tara Morgan, R.N.  Left to right, are:  Miguel Cepeda, Kelly Purcell, Jennifer Coutts, Alyssa Jackson and Tara Morgan, R.N., seated.

Penn State Worthington Scranton will honor its scholarship donors, including two new donors who established scholarships this year, and recognize the 151 students who received those scholarships on Tuesday, October 7, at a special 7 p.m. reception at St. Mary’s Center, Scranton.

Penn State Worthington Scranton Chancellor Mary-Beth Krogh-Jespersen, Ph.D., will lead the evening’s program, welcoming the generous individuals, businesses and organizations from Northeastern Pennsylvania that support the scholarships offered each year by the campus.

“We are so grateful to these generous donors, who have continued, every year, to support our students in realizing their educational goals,” said Dr. Krogh-Jespersen.  “It is because of them that many of our students are able to attend college and pursue their dreams, and for that we are very thankful.”

Donors and recipients will be formally acknowledged during the evening’s festivities by Maria Russoniello, director of development at Penn State Worthington Scranton.

Campus Scholarship Committee Chair, Paul Perrone will also make remarks.

More than 170 scholarships were awarded for the 2008-2009 academic year to students attending Penn State Worthington Scranton. Funding sources include private, corporate and University-sponsored scholarships.

Scholarships and recipients are:

Academic Achievement Scholarships:  Ryan Arthur, Carbondale; Jeffrey Collins, Jr., Moosic; Alysha Davis, Scranton; Erin Dayton, Susquehanna; Michael Dayton, Susquehanna; Nicole Ellett, Uniondale; Kristi Farinelli, Forest City; Nicholas Hebert, Scranton; Casey Judge, Clarks Summit; Kimber Lee Kalinoski, South Abington Twp.;  Matthew Lahey, Scranton; David Lambert, Scranton; Carina Levis, Dunmore; Megan Lucas, Scranton; Douglas Mallas, Scranton; Christopher Meszler, Honesdale; Coilin Murray, Scranton; Andrew Nichols, New Milford; Stacey Pivovarnik, Scranton; Patrick Propert, Susquehanna; Megan Radicchi, Dickson City; Nicholas Remish, Old Forge; Shawna Sandy, Scranton; Nicholas Schweinsburg, Waymart; Patrick Stuff, Fultonville, NY; Joshua Taylor, Avoca; Robyn Terrel, Honesdale; John Turpak, Olyphant; and Kathryn Werner, Clarks Summit.

Ray Alberigi Scholarship:  Alicia Tait, Jessup.

Joseph and Yvonne Alu Scholarship:  Erin Dayton, Susquehanna.

Eugene and Madeline Bird Scholarship:  Nicole Navoczynski, Scranton.

John and Patricia Atkins Scholarship:  Yvette Robinson, Clark’s Summit.

Herbert T. Axford Memorial Scholarship:  David J. Mizwinski, Hughestown; Patrick Propert, Susquehanna.

Barnes & Noble Presidential Scholarships:  Matthew Lahey, Scranton; Carina Levis, Dunmore; and Matthew Tomazic, Forest City.

Margaret Briggs Memorial Scholarship: Christopher Burke, Scranton; Anthony Guarriello, Jr., Milford; Theresa Hametz, Dickson City; and Jennifer Jurbala, Dickson City.

Violet & Richard Byron Scholarship:  Michael Wademan, Fleetville.

CINRAM Scholarship:  Lawrence Gaik, Clifton; and Eryk Skowronski, Dickson City.

Alfred P. (Fred) Ciotti Memorial Scholarship:  Chelsi Heinrich, Jessup; and Amanda Lutchko, Carbondale.

Janet A. Cottone Memorial Scholarship in Nursing:  Elizabeth Lee, Madison Twp.; Judith Mercatili, Archbald; Gregory Moran, Scranton; and Adrienne Ogozarek, Greentown; and Randy Sashko, Archbald.

Harry Dickstein Memorial Scholarship:  Stephanie Erb, Mayfield; Kristen Finkler, Factoryville; and Stefania Kloda, Montrose.

Dunmore Lions Club Scholarship:  Angela Capone, Dunmore; and Justin Iezzi, Dunmore.

David M. and Aleen F. Epstein Scholarship:  Joshua Whitfield, Lords Valley.

Eureka Scholarship:  Jessica Musgrove, Honesdale; Stacey Pivovarnik, Scranton; and Arnold Roholt, Tafton.

Albert Sr. and Mary Alunni Fagnani Memorial Scholarship:  David Malson, Carbondale Twp.; and John Scagliotti, Archbald.

James D. and Margaret S. Gallagher Honors Scholarship:  Jennifer Dobitsch, South Abington Twp.

Galleta-Dreater ASHRAE Scholarship:  Daniel Michaels, Dalton.

James P. and Catherine M. Gilligan Memorial Scholarship:  Frank Montaro, Dunmore; Margaret Perrone, Dunmore; and Colleen Shaffer, Lake Ariel.

The Gelb Foundation Scholarship:  John Derrick, Honesdale.

Greater Scranton Jaycees Scholarship:  Nishithbhai Patel, Scranton.

Greater Scranton Penn State Chapter Scholarship:  David Lambert, Scranton; Matthew Mahalik, Moscow; and Erika McLain, Spring Brook Twp.

Greater Scranton Penn State Chapter Scholarship, in Memory of Betty Strutin:  Nicholas Remish, Old Forge.

Keith Grover Memorial Scholarship:  Jeffrey Fliegel, Milford.

Hahnemann/CMC Nursing Alumni Trustee Scholarship:  David Czar, Dunmore; and Ann Truax, Wilkes-Barre.

Elmer & Louise Hawk College Assistance Grant:  Stephanie Bartos, Madison Twp.; Mark P. Kaufman, Scranton; Jennifer Mason, Old Forge; and Nicole Valenti, Lake Ariel.

Marie D. and John T. Howe Memorial Scholarship:  Samantha Cummings, Waymart.

Frank and Jean Hubbard Scholarship:  Taryn Brown, Madison Twp.; Lawrence Gaik, Clifton; Jennie Havenstrite, Gouldsboro; Christopher R. Kulick, Spring Brook Twp.; Amanda Martin, State College; Brian McDonald, Moscow; Nick Pipitone, Lake Ariel; and Franceska Sweeney, Madison Twp.

Information Sciences & Technology Scholarship:  Christopher Schultz, Dunmore.

Jack Jones Memorial Scholarship:  Kathleen Nichols, South Abington Twp.

Grace Keen Scholarship:  Kelsey Madden, Waymart.

Sharon Baldassari Kornfield Memorial Scholarship:  Amy Dolinish, Old Forge.

Bayard D. and Ethel M. Kunkle Scholarship:  Andrea Befumo, Pleasant Mount; Corey Chorba, Throop; Stacy Lindsey, Scranton; Cindy Mintz, Olyphant; N. Rebecca Pratt, Scotrun; Francis Rizzo, Scranton; and Kimberly Schuit, Lake Ariel.

Erich Kurash Memorial Scholarship:  Jonathan Runco, Throop.

Keystone Sanitary Landfill Scholarship:  Danielle Dunmire, Throop; Althea Ganz, Dunmore; Matthew Morgan, Hop Bottom; and Joseph Salva, Scranton.

Anita and George Lesho Scholarship:  Robert Armstrong, Jr., Throop.

Anne E. Lohmann Memorial Scholarship:  Kristin Lemoncelli, Archbald.

Eugene and Bonnie Long Scholarship for Veterans:  Richard Pienkowski III, Scranton.

Albert J. and Catherine Magnotta Memorial Scholarship:  Katherine DiBello, Roaring Brook Twp.; and Melissa Gaffney, Lake Ariel.

Lester and Helen Male Memorial Scholarship:  Alyssa Fiorenza, Dalton; and Shane Warnock, Waymart.

Dorothy Schnerr Minelli Memorial Scholarship:  Patrick Cunningham, Peckville.

Gino and Jean Cavalieri Mori Scholarship:  Amy Dolinish, Old Forge; and Jaclyn Mazur, Hanover Twp.

Primo and Vittoria Ciuferri Mori/Paul Robeson Memorial Scholarship:  Estelle Bonhomme, Dunmore.

Eugene C. “Jake” Mullen Memorial Scholarship:  Nicole Douglas, Honesdale; and Jessica Musgrove, Throop.

Jacquelyn Nichols Memorial Scholarship:  Marissa Opalka, Waymart.

Winifred and Gerald Payne Memorial Scholarship:  Steven Chimel, Clarks Summit; and Chad M. Smith, Cresco.

Pennstar Bank Scholarship:  Vincent Leonardo, Olyphant.

Penn State Worthington Scranton Scholarship:  Jeffrey Fliegel, Milford; Matthew Lahey, Scranton; David Lambert, Scranton; Kayla Lovallo, Dunmore; David Moss, Scranton; and Nicholas Schweinsburg, Waymart.

Penn State Worthington Scranton Trustee Scholarship:  Justin Nole, Scranton; Daniel Pettite, Newfoundland; and Alecia Wagner, Factoryville.

Penn State Worthington Scranton Alumni Society Scholarship:  Kristen Finkler, Factoryville; and Nicholas Schweinsburg, Waymart.

Penn State Worthington Scranton Faculty/Staff Scholarship in Honor of Dr. Richard Barshinger:  Kimberly Janosko, Sayre.

Penn State Worthington Scranton Jazz Band/Chorale Scholarship:  Shannon Harding, Hawley; and Brenton LeDoux, Tobyhanna.

Penn State Worthington Scranton Lion Ambassador Scholarship:  Robert Armstrong, Jr., Throop.

Rice-Butler Family Scholarship:  Ian Gerrity, Dunmore; and Amanda Orzalek, Old Forge.

Joan B. and Clayton A. Richmond Memorial Scholarship:  Stephanie Kudey, Pittston.

Angelo J. Rosati Memorial Scholarship:  Nicole Ellett, Uniondale.

Nicholas and Diane Scandale Scholarship:  David Moss, Scranton.

Schautz Family Scholarship:  Ryan Arthur, Carbondale; Shannon Kelly, Clarks Summit; Douglas Mallas, Scranton; and Jennifer Wittich, Lake Ariel.

The Scranton Times-Tribune Scholarship:  Anthony Carra, Dunmore.

James T. Skibinski Memorial Scholarship:  Gregory Engle, Factoryville.

Stanley and Mary Sislo Memorial Scholarship:  Anthony Carra, Dunmore; and Andrew Jarbola, Moscow.

William S. (Billy) Soose Memorial Scholarship:  Lauren Englert, Lake Ariel.

Betty and Armond Strutin Memorial Scholarship:  Sarah Miletta, Lake Ariel; and Kaleb Weaver, Gouldsboro.

Christopher Sturchio Memorial Scholarship:  Justyna Thomas, Honesdale.

Warren and Agnes Thomas Memorial Scholarship:  Britland Vergnetti, Scranton.

Thomson Scholarship:  Zachary Rollison, Prompton.

David and Joyce Mack Tressler Scholarship:  Lisa Hatton, Dunmore; and Shannon Wentland, Scranton.

UNICO, Scranton Chapter Scholarship:  Jeanine Fusik, Dalton.

United Gilsonite Laboratories Scholarship:  Gregory Pelucacci, Dunmore.

Wachovia Bank, NA Scholarship:  Amber Gibbons, Tobyhanna.

Richard M. and Jean McNichols Walsh Scholarship:  Sasha Gallant, Roaring Brook Twp.

The Wayne-Pike Penn State Chapter Scholarship:  Nicholas Kussoff, Honesdale; and Joshua Whitfield, Lords Valley.

Dr. Stephen J. and Essie Weissberger Scholarship - in memory of Harry and Leah Weissberger and Sam and Irene Zilenchick:  James Murphy, Clarks Summit.

WFWB Trustee Scholarship:  Andrea Kopa, Jermyn; and Jennifer Robbins, Wyoming.

Mabel White Riker & Velma White Memorial Scholarship:  Ashley Kovalik, Moosic.

H. Leigh Woehling Memorial Scholarship:  Sara Snyder, Scranton.

John Woloschuk Memorial Scholarship:  Thomas McLane, Scranton; and David Mizwinski, Hughestown.

Women in IST Scholarship:  Sasha Gallant, Roaring Brook Twp.

Joseph, Sr., and Catherine Zaydon Memorial Scholarship – with children Dr. Joseph, Jemille, and John:  Dana Grushinski, Scranton; and Stephen Newman, Pocono Pines.

Penn State Worthington Scranton is now offering a Wall Street West – Network and E-Business Security Certificate course for interested information technology (IT) professionals in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

The training is being funded by a Wall Street West grant awarded to Worthington Scranton’s Information Sciences and Technology faculty earlier this year. The grant, titled “Security and Risk Analysis and Mitigation for Area College and Secondary Education, Industry, Community and Future Area Professionals aims to provide broad-based, subsidized training in Security, Risk and Network Integrity.

The Wall Street West initiative is a not-for-profit partnership in Northeastern Pennsylvania that encompasses nine counties and is charged with enhancing financial services, information technology, and related industries through workforce and economic development initiatives. Wall Street West was funded by a $15 million Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) grant from the U.S. Department of Labor for education and job training.

The course is free of charge to interested individuals, who must complete three required courses:  IST 5032 - E-Business Security Course (20 hours); IST 5033 - Networking and Telecommunications Course (20 hours); and IST 5034 - Network Security Course (20 hours).

There will be a series of training sessions offered at the Worthington Scranton campus, beginning October 6.  The training sessions include instruction in all three courses and are scheduled as follows:

Session 1:  October 6 through December 5 in Dawson Building, Room 114.

Session 2:  March 2, 2009 through May 1, 2009 in Dawson Building, Room 114.

Session 3:  October 5, 2009 through December 4, 2009.

*All classes will be held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, every other week, from 5:15 to 9:15 p.m. in Room 114 of the Dawson Building.

Training is free for the first 50 IT professionals who register.  Participants will receive their certificates once the training has been completed.

If interested, please contact Penn State Worthington Scranton’s Continuing Education Office, (570) 963-2600, for registration, additional information and alternative funding sources.

International Studies is an interdisciplinary minor that enables a student to gain a global perspective on current social, cultural, economic, political and environmental issues. 

“The rationale for this new minor is that we now live in a time of increasing interconnectedness among nations, and therefore should provide our students with an opportunity to gain an informed sense of citizenship in the world,” explained Dr. Mahalik, Director of Academic Affairs at Worthington Scranton.

 “Students in this program will be prepared to contribute to understanding the larger world in the twenty-first century, in their respective fields,” he added.

Dr. Richard Fitzsimmons, Penn State Worthington Scranton Librarian, took the lead in putting together the proposal for the new minor program and worked with Dr. Mahalik during the submission and review process.

The addition of the International Studies minor will enrich and broaden the campus’s existing curricular offerings and strengthen the intellectual growth of its students.  Students participating in the International Studies Minor program will be challenged to address issues such as the civic implications of living in an interdependent world.  This will require them to reflect on their personal relationships across local, national and international venues.

The International Studies curriculum will include coursework that helps students examine environmental, social, political, economic and cultural manifestations, in correlation with their academic major, making their chosen field more meaningful and useful in relation to the global society in general.

Dr. Durell Johnson, Assistant Director of Academic Affairs and an associate professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Penn State Worthington Scranton, was recently named Discipline Coordinator for the Division of Health and Human Development in the University College for 2008-09.

As discipline coordinator, Dr. Johnson will be a contact for faculty members in the University College’s division of Health and Human Development. He will also oversee the development of courses and degree programs developed by the college faculty, in consultation with program heads and the Associate Dean for Academic Programs.

In his new capacity, he also serves as a disciplinary consultant for annual performance reviews of tenure system and non-tenure system faculty and works with the Associate Dean for Faculty and Research in coordinating faculty sixth-year promotion and tenure, promotion-only, and tenure-only reviews.

Dr. Johnson has been with Penn State Worthington Scranton for eight years.  He received his bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, a master’s degree in Experimental Child Psychology from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and his doctoral degree in Developmental Psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Dr. Philip Mosley, professor of English and comparative literature at Penn State Worthington Scranton, was recently awarded the Prix de la Traduction Littéraire, for his translations of Belgian literature.

The Prix de la Traduction Littéraire has been given annually since 1997 by the French Community of Belgium to a translator who has contributed, through the quality of his/her translations, to the diffusion of Belgian literature in the French language.

It is awarded on a motion from the European College of Literary Translators at Seneffe, Belgium.

Professor Mosley traveled to Belgium to receive his award, at a ceremony conducted at the Castle of Seneffe. The prize also included a monetary award of 5,000 euros, which is approximately $7,000.

While there, he also conducted some further research for a book on the Dardenne brothers, who have received international critical acclaim for their social realist films.  Dr. Mosley even had the chance to meet the brothers, Jean-Pierre and Luc, while attending the premiere of their latest film, Lorna’s Silence, at the Parc Cinema in Charleroi, Belgium.

The award of the prize followed the publication in 2008 by SUNY Press of Dr. Mosley’s most recent translation, the celebrated essay “The Intelligence of Flowers,” along with a related piece, “Scents,” by Maurice Maeterlinck (1862-1949), once a famous literary figure in Europe and America, who received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1911.

“I was fascinated by the title and knew the author was a very fine writer,” Dr. Mosley said, when asked what spurred him to take on the task of translating the 1907 work.  “I was also fascinated by the idea of flowers as having intelligence.”

Dr. Mosley’s other translations of Belgian authors include Bruges-la-Morte by Georges Rodenbach, published in 2007 in a new edition by the University of Scranton Press; October Long Sunday by Guy Vaes; Tea Masters, Teahouses by Werner Lambersy; and The Book of the Snow by François Jacqmin.

He is also known locally for his work as editor of Anthracite! An Anthology of Pennsylvania Coal Region Plays, a collection of six plays about the world of coal mining and the injustices and hardships of regional mining life, which was published by the University of Scranton Press in 2006.

Ten student leaders from Penn State Worthington Scranton’s Student Government Association (SGA) recently attended a university Summer Leadership Conference at University Park, in State College, PA.

The three-day conference brought together student representatives from all regional Penn State campuses. Participants attended several workshops aimed at enhancing their leadership skills, and participated in special PRIDE groups. PRIDE groups consisted of 12-15 students and an assigned mentor that worked on specific tasks and a community service project in the State College area.

“It was a great conference and will be very beneficial in that our students who attended are now able to bring back what they learned to our campus,” said Nanci Purcell, associate director of student affairs at Worthington Scranton, and SGA advisor.

Worthington Scranton students who attended were:  Dustin Bowen, Scranton; Miguel Cepeda, Scranton; Jason Chilipko, Old Forge; Corey Chorba, Throop; Jennifer Coutts, Paupack; Amanda Fumani, Waymart; Lisa Hatton, Dunmore; Stacey Lindsay, Scranton; and Liz Yablonski, Scranton.

Mr. Chilipko, a business major, is the SGA president for the 2008-09 academic year and will serve along with Robert Armstrong, an engineering major from Throop, who is vice president.  Mr. Chorba, who will serve as treasurer, is majoring in Human Development and Family Studies, while Ms. Yablonski, a business major, will be assistant treasurer.  Ms. Hatton, an education major, will serve as secretary.  Mr. Bowen, a business major, is the public relations chair and will be responsible for all publicity for the SGA and its events.

Mr. Cepeda, a business major, is this year’s THON chair – overseeing Worthington Scranton’s fundraising and participation in the annual dance marathon fundraiser held each year at University Park.  THON is an annual, student-run event that raises money for the Four Diamonds Fund of the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, benefitting children with cancer.  He is also a Lion Ambassador for the Worthington Scranton campus, volunteering his time and assistance at various campus events and gatherings.

Bill Bryan, director of student and enrollment services, said he was very impressed with the students’ input during the conference’s educational sessions and their interaction with other attendees.

“Their involvement, leadership skills, engagement, and professionalism all represented Worthington Scranton and our incoming and returning students in an exceptional way,” he said.

Dr. Philip Mosley, professor of English and comparative literature at Penn State Worthington Scranton has been elected to a three-year term on the Pennsylvania Humanities Council.

Dr. Mosley has been involved with the PHC for the past nine years as a Commonwealth Speaker, giving 50 presentations statewide.  He has also served as leader of numerous PHC “Read About It” book discussion groups and is currently an external evaluator for the Council’s grant projects.

His term on the PHC council begins Nov. 1.

The PHC is a nonprofit organization that offers programs and partnerships aimed at increasing an understanding and large vision of human life, community and possibility.  The Council’s programs foster that goal through the sharing of stories and ideas.

In addition to its Commonwealth Speakers Program, it offers grants that support humanities programs centered in the arts, history, literature and other humanities fields. PHC’s packaged book discussion program, “Read About It” also serves as a resource for Pennsylvania residents.

Mosley, a published editor and writer who wrote the introduction for, and served as editor of the book “Anthracite! An Anthology of Coal Region Drama” and most recently translated “The Intelligence of Flowers” a re-publication of a celebrated essay by 19^th century nature writer Maurice Maeterlinck, has been a faculty member at Worthington Scranton for the past 20 years.

His research interests include comparative literature, film studies, cultural studies and literary translation.

He resides in Gouldsboro, with his wife, Shu-Ching Mosley, an English lecturer at Penn State Worthington Scranton.

"These coaches, along with our returning veteran coaching staff, represent the best and brightest in the athletic arena,” said Bill Bryan, Director of Student and Enrollment Services. “We are extremely fortunate to have a staff of this ability and character that  truly represents student-centeredness and Penn State pride. Our student athletes are very fortunate!"

Over 140 prospective Penn State students and their families attended this summer’s first “Spend a Summer Evening” program held at Penn State Worthington Scranton on Tuesday, July 15.

The next Spend A Summer Evening event will be held on August 13 at 6 p.m. in the campus’s cafeteria.

Guests were welcomed to the campus by Dr. Mary-Beth Krogh-Jespersen, chancellor of Penn State Worthington Scranton, and learned about the Penn State Commonwealth Campus system, Penn State’s 160 majors, and the programs, facilities and amenities available at the Worthington Scranton campus.

They also enjoyed the opportunity to speak with Penn State faculty and staff from different areas, such as Athletics, Career Services, Continuing Education and Financial Aid, as well as speak one on one with instructors and professors in various disciplines, including Information Sciences and Technology, Engineering, Nursing, Letters, Arts and Sciences and Human Development and Family Studies.

Tours of the campus and its facilities were also offered by the the Lion Ambassadors, a group of volunteer student leaders who work with various campus departments to assist with campus efforts and events.

Attendees were also treated to an ice cream social, compliments of the Admissions Department.

The Spend A Summer Evening program is for students, both traditional and non-traditional, that are now starting their college searches.  It is a fun and relaxed way for them to visit the campus, meet other Penn State students, faculty and staff, and get the opportunity to ask any questions they have about pursuing a college degree at Penn State.

Participants learn about Worthington Scranton’s six Associate and seven Baccalaureate degree programs, as well as receive additional information on its honors programs, student clubs, financial aid, housing, advising and admissions criteria.

Campus representatives will also be on hand at the August 13 event to explain the college application process and discuss ways to help make college more affordable through scholarships and other financial aid.

For more information, go to http://www.ws.psu.edu/ or to register, call 963-2500.

Penn State Worthington Scranton’s new Business Building will be a $5.9-million, state-of-the-art learning facility that will feature:

• A trading room
• E-learning classroom
• Technology classroom
• Conference room
• Tiered lecture hall
• Cyber café
• Five break-out classrooms
• Faculty offices

The new Business Building will combine academic classrooms with the expected corporate amenities to create a unique learning facility and community resource that will provide:

• Quality learning and study areas for students
• High-technology spaces to engage the community in business partnerships, lectures and training
• Design a learning environment conducive to both in-class and on-line instruction
• Campus and Community meeting place

The new Business Building is pursuing LEED NC certification under the current v2.2.  This stringent process, the most widely used system of its kind measuring a building's "green-ness" or general sustainability, has certainly aided in the conception of The Classroom Building's massing, materials, and systems in the following ways:

• High performance, long-lasting exterior materials are utilized to enclose the building.  This includes glazing with state-of-the-art low-E coatings, fluid-applied wall membranes that prohibit air leakage, continuous "ex-sulation" (the placement of rigid insualtion material outbound of framing members, resulting in a continuous, unbroken thermal envelope), and white TPO roofing that reflects sunlight and reduces the "heat island effect".  Most importantly, these materials come together to lower the building's lifetime energy consumption.
• High recycled content in major structural materials.  All concrete in the project contains post-industrial slag as a substitute for small aggregate; otherwise, the slag would be directed to a landfill.  Similarly, all of the structural steel componentry contains a high percentage of recycled content.
• High quality interior spaces.  All of the paints and coatings entering the building have been scrutinized to meet/exceed the highest in indoor air quality standards.  Installed carpets receive the stringent Green Label seal, representing a commitment to reducing VOC's (volatile organic compounds) normally founds in commercial carpets.
• Local materials.  Many of the materials going into the building are made by fellow Pennsylvanians, or in our neighboring states.  This, of course, maintains manufacturing jobs locally, and reduces transportation costs/resultant pollution.
• Energy concerns.  State-of-the-art Building Automation System will monitor overall energy usage and building systems.  Energy optimization, occupant comfort, and balancing of equipment is fully computerized.  Regions of the building such as the Upper Corridor will utilize daylight for most hours of operation; this zone will also be on a computerized dimmer--connected to the Building Automation System--that adds artificial light incrementally.
• Green Power credits from wind and solar sources will provide everyday power.
• Frequent recycling stations that offer building users the option to make the everyday decisions that contribute to a greener world.

To find out about our Business Degree programs, click here.

View pictures of the building construction

Prospective students and their families are invited to attend either of two summer open houses being hosted by Penn State Worthington Scranton on July 15 and Aug. 13, at 6 p.m. in the SLC Cafeteria.

Participants will learn about the 160 Penn State majors, tour the Worthington Scranton campus, get to talk to campus faculty and staff, and enjoy an ice cream social.

The Spend A Summer Evening program is for students, both traditional and non-traditional, that are now starting their college searches.  It is a fun and relaxed way for them to visit the campus, meet other Penn State students, faculty and staff, and get the opportunity to ask any questions they have about pursuing a college degree at Penn State.

Participants will learn about Worthington Scranton’s six Associate and seven Baccalaureate degree programs, as well as receive additional information on academic majors, honors programs, athletics, student clubs, financial aid, housing, career services, advising and admissions criteria and more.

Campus representatives will also be on hand to explain the college application process and discuss ways to help make college more affordable through scholarships and other financial aid.

For more information or to register, call 963-2500.

Penn State Nittany Cub Camp Descriptions and Schedule

Photo Gallery of 2008 Nittany Cub Camps

Theresa “Terri” Nealon Caputo, Moscow, an admissions counselor at Penn State Worthington Scranton, is the 2008 recipient of the campus’s K. Bruce Sherbine Penn State Proud Award.

This award recognizes a member of the campus community whose demonstrated qualities of leadership, scholarship and citizenship have been directed into programs and services on the campus and/or in the community that have positively influenced students and employees, and have contributed to the prestige and well-being of Penn State Worthington Scranton, as well as Penn State University as a whole.

Dr. Mary-Beth Krogh-Jespersen, chancellor, presented Ms. Caputo with her award during a special awards dinner held recently at the campus and several of Ms. Caputo’s co-workers from the college’s student and enrollment services department were also present to see her accept her award.

In addition to admissions counseling and activities, Ms. Caputo helps to coordinate the campus’s Fall and Spring open houses and administers the campus’s Penn Stater For A Day and High School Scholars programs. 

The award was established by the board in 1988 to recognize those faculty members who demonstrate innovated and dedicated teaching techniques in his or her academic endeavors.

Mr. Perrone, who has taught at Worthington Scranton for over 30 years, received the award from Patrick Sheridan, Advisory Board Vice President, during a recent awards dinner at the campus. 

A resident of Lake Ariel, he has three children, P.J., Sam and Annie.

Ms. Nace has been with Worthington Scranton since September, 2005 and most recently served as co-chair of Worthington Scranton's  Strategic Planning Committee, where she oversaw a committee of staff and faculty members charged with developing a five-year Strategic Plan for the campus.  She lives in Scranton.

Penn State Worthington Scranton is again offering its summertime Nittany Cub Camps for local youth and there are a variety of camps to choose from -- ranging from babysitter training to Claymation to rocketry camp.  Camp programs start June 23 and run through July.

Each year, Penn State Worthington Scranton’s Continuing Education Department works with faculty and instructors to plan camps that offer new challenges and opportunities in the areas of science, technology, engineering, problem-solving skills and athletics.

Camps are all developed by Penn State instructors and approved by a university dean, with curriculums and instructors approved by the college.

The camps aim to provide an educational and fun experience to area youths, and campers are encouraged to explore an area of interest in a safe environment, while enjoying an out-of-classroom learning experience that includes projects, crafts and activities that build skills and knowledge.

There are costs for the camps, which vary according to which camp participants want to attend.  Penn State’s Continuing Education and Institutional Advancement departments do work to keep costs to a minimum by soliciting funding from area businesses and agencies to offset the developmental costs of new programming.  In addition, each year, a few scholarships are offered for the camps.

This year’s sponsors for Penn State Worthington Scranton’s camps are Delta Medix, One Point, Crew Systems Corporation and the Worthington Scranton Alumni Society.

For more information on the camps, or to request a camp schedule, call 963-2600 or go to www.ws.psu.edu/CubCamps.

Chancellor Mary-Beth Krogh-Jespersen is pleased to announce that two professors at Penn State Worthington Scranton have attained tenure and promotion at the University.

    Dr. Parminder Parmar, assistant professor of Human Development and Family Studies, and Dr. Alan Peslak, assistant professor of Information Science Technology, were both recently awarded tenure.

Dr. Parmar, Clarks Summit, and a native of India, has been at Worthington Scranton since August, 2002.  She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the College of Home Science in India, and her Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut in 2000.

    Dr. Peslak, a resident of Peckville, also began teaching at Worthington Scranton in August, 2002.  He received his bachelor’s degree and a master’s of business administration (MBA) from the University of Scranton, and another master’s degree and his Ph.D. from Nova Southeastern University in Florida.

“It is always exciting to make an announcement like this,” said Dr. Krogh-Jespersen.  “Worthington Scranton always seeks to attract and retain quality faculty and it is always rewarding when our faculty receive promotions, tenure or awards for outstanding work and service.”

“I am quite proud that Dr. Parmar and Dr. Peslak have earned tenure and promotion, as they are well-deserving of both honors,” said Dr. Michael Mahalik, Director of Academic Affairs at Worthington Scranton.  “They are exemplary faculty and bring much to the Penn State Worthington Scranton campus.  They truly exemplify the exceptional standards required for Penn State faculty.”

Penn State University awards tenure and promotion on the basis of academic and professional merit, not for years of service.

The promotion and tenure procedures at Penn State consist of several levels of judgment and review. The initial review focuses on professional and scholarly judgments of the quality of the individual's academic work. Subsequent levels bring broader faculty and administrative judgment to bear and also monitor general standards of quality, equity and adequacy of the procedure used. Only the best faculty, meeting all standards, will earn promotion and tenure.

Phuong-Truc Pham, assistant professor of chemistry at Penn State Worthington Scranton, has published articles in three recent and upcoming professional publications.

This article appears in Expert Opinion  Drug Delivery (2008) 5(4):1-17

In this article, Professor Pham and her colleagues describe the synthesis, electrical characteristics and fabrication of a single crystal field effect transistor device from a “ladder type” oligomer.   They have demonstrated that these organic materials hold promise as candidates for use as semiconductors and show that the molecular shape seems to play a crucial role in the ability of a molecule to form crystals of good quality suitable for device fabrication.

New derivatives are currently under development and investigations. 

In her third peer-reviewed publication, “Eectronic and Geometric Structures of Thiophene-Phenylene Oligomers: A Density Functional Theory Study”, which she solely authored, Professor Pham reports theoretical work aimed at identifying target compounds which could potentially be used as semiconductors.

Density functional theory methods were successfully applied to study the electronic and geometric structures of a series of thiophene-phenylene oligomers and she observed general structural features that are important in the design of oligothiophene-phenylene derivatives with desirable electronic properties were presented.

 Professor Pham lives in Mountain Top with her husband, Mamoun Bader, and they have five children.

• Credit Courses
• Youth Camps
• Admissions Events

Penn State Worthington Scranton recognized academic achievement and presented diplomas to baccalaureate and associate degree graduates in a ceremony on Friday, May 16.

Penn State Worthington Scranton Chancellor Mary-Beth Krogh-Jespersen, Ph.D., presided, and Atty. Dante A. Cancelli gave the commencement address.  Dr. John Baildon, who is retiring after 38 years of teaching at the campus, was Faculty Marshal.

During the ceremony, Dr. Baildon, an associate professor of mathematics, carried a special mace that was presented to him by Dr. Krogh-Jespersen during a recent campus reception held to honor his many years of service at Worthington Scranton and to celebrate his retirement.

Dr. Baildon announced his retirement this year, after 38 years of teaching at Penn State Worthington Scranton, and serving as the Faculty Marshal at its Spring commencements for many years.

Penn State Worthington Scranton granted baccalaureate degrees in American Studies; Business; Human Development and Family Studies; Letters, Arts and Sciences; Nursing; Information Sciences and Technology; Journalism; Elementary and Kindergarten Education; Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management; English; and Political Science.

Associate degrees were awarded in:  Business Administration; Human Development and Family Studies; Letters, Arts and Sciences; Building Engineering Technology; Nursing; and Information Science and Technology.

Several students graduated with honors of distinction.  Graduating with highest distinction were:  Olga Gutenko, Carina B. Loughner, Jessica M. McDermott, Beth A. Mellin; Kimberly R. Neesan-Johnson, and Joseph J. Ranner.

Graduating with high distinction were:  Geri A. Buckwalter, Timothy J. Grier, Kathleen M. Parlanti and Cheryl L. Woods.

Students graduating with distinction were:  Betsy L. Albers, Robert M. Armstrong, Lori A. Faraday, Jennifer N. Gorke, Robert C. Markowski, Nichole M. McIntosh, Lauren A. Noreika, Sharon J. Phillips, Laura J. Salvati and Kevin G. Turano.

“It is with great pride that we acknowledge the accomplishments and hard work of these graduating students,” said Dr. Krogh-Jespersen.  “We wish them all the best as they leave here to pursue their future endeavors and take great pleasure in knowing that we have provided them the tools they need to meet the career and academic challenges that await them.”

Graduates were introduced by Dr. Michael P. Mahalik, director of academic affairs at Penn State Worthington Scranton.

Introducing Commencement Speaker Attorney Dante A. Cancelli, was Advisory Board Chairman Robert E. Quinnan.  Louis Ingargiola, campus alumni society president offered the charge to the new group of Penn State Worthington Scranton alumni.

The following Penn State Worthington Scranton 2007 graduates, by Penn State College and degree earned are:

Bachelor of Arts in American Studies:  Victoria M. Giambrone, Scranton; Timothy J. Grier, Wilkes-Barre; Joseph M. Kashuba, Scranton; and Sheila S. Sankar, Archbald.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing:  Toni A. Abda, Clark’s Summit; Betsy L. Albers, Newfoundland; Sherri L. Barrett, Greentown; Mary B. Farrell, Dunmore; Linda D. Gigliotti, Carbondale; Jamie E. Hunt, Dalton; Michael T. Ipekdjian, Scranton; Wendy A. Mancuso, Scranton; Megan J. McLaughlin, Dunmore; Kathleen M. Parlanti, Clark’s Summit; Sharon J. Phillips, Clark’s Green; Rebecca E. Rust, Factoryville; Jane Saltisiak, Archbald; Elena M. Sanfilippo, Scranton; Mary E. Summa, Scranton; Kristen J. Sweeney, Hawley; Cheryl L. Woods, Honoesdale; and Theresa A. Zdaniewicz, Falls.

Bachelor of Arts, Journalism:  Melissa S. Gebert, Carbondale.

Bachelor of Science in Elementary and Kindergarten Education:  Sara Bryk, Dupont.

Bachelor of Science in Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management:  Helayna R. Bukowski, Throop.

College of The Liberal Arts, Bachelor of Arts in English: Melissa S. Gebert, Carbondale.

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science:  Jamie T. Schickley, Lake Ariel.

University College, Bachelor of Arts in English:  Alayna M. Snyder, Wilkes-Barre.

Well-known classical songs, jazz and show tunes, as well as some well-known Top 40 hits will reverberate through the halls of the Gallagher Conference Center on May 4, when the Worthington Scranton Chorale takes the stage for its Annual Spring Concert.

This yearly event is free to the public and showcases the talents and musical abilities of Worthington Scranton students, faculty and staff.

“The Chorale and Jazz Band have been practicing hard all year long for this,” said Sharon Toman, musical director.  “I think many people will be impressed with the talent we have here and really enjoy the selections we’ll be performing.”

Some selections the Chorale will be singing include:  Let There Be Peace on Earth, You Raise Me Up,” a popular song by recording artist Josh Grobin, That’s Entertainment, I Got a Name, Gloria, and the finale from the popular musical “Movin’ Out”.

The WS Lionettes, a select singing group, will entertain with a selection of Show Choir style songs, such as Born to Hand Jive, Blue Moon, and It Don’t Mean a Thing.

The WS Jazz Band will perform a variety of jazz, pop classics, rhythm and blues, big band and contemporary music.

“It will definitely be a very exciting and entertaining musical program that is sure to please all ages and a variety of musical tastes,” Ms. Toman said.

WS Chorale members are:  Juliet Avery, Tiffany Ayers, Charles Cino, Geraldine Ferrer, David Ecker, Yvonne Glanville, Shannon Harding, Sue Harper, Meg Hatch, Kamazza Herrmann, Pat Hinchey, Carina Loughner, Stephen McCarty, Amanda Mead, Janet Melnick, Mireille Monteil, Mallory Pencek, Heather Petrikonis, Paul Prislupsky, Leah Roman, Jonathan Runco, Kristy Rutkowski, Robert Skurnowicz, Deb Smarkusky, Debrhea Vaiana-Cavanagh and Roy Williams.

The Jazz Band is:  Francis Barnosky, Lisa Corrigall, Samantha Davis, Kara DeMarcos, Peter Flanagan, Albert Joseph, Christopher Kulick, Jessica Lachance, Timothy Latz, Marcus LeDoux, Brenton LeDoux, Felicia Martin, Alexander Olivetti, Brendan Peterson, Ashley Porcaro, Leah Roman, Tracy Sapkosky, Nathan Schmidt, Nicholas Schmidt, Robert Skurnowicz, Dave Snyder, Ernest Thivierge, Timothy Turano and Sarah Worobey.

If you go:

What:  Penn State Worthington Scranton Jazz Band and Chorale Concert

Where: Gallagher Conference Center, Penn State Worthington Scranton. 

When: Sunday, May 4 at 2 p.m.

Details:  Annual Spring Concert, free of charge with light refreshments served immediately following the concert.

The Penn State Worthington Scranton Veterans Club recently held a special collection for U.S. soldiers stationed overseas.

The group placed collection boxes throughout the campus, asking students, staff and faculty to donate non-perishable items that soldiers overseas needed or could use in their leisure time.

At the end of the three-week collection period, a large variety of items had been collected – necessities such as toiletries, socks, paper products and snacks, as well as leisure items such as hand-held games, books, decks of cards, magazines and stationary.

The student Veteran’s Club then packaged the items and shipped them to the soldiers, as a way of showing their support for the work they are doing.

Some of the Veterans Club members that helped organize the drive are pictured above with a sampling of the items they collected.  They are, front row, left to right:  Corey Chorba, Throop; Danielle Anderson, Lords Valley; Katie Kelley, Union Dale; Kim Johnson, Archbald; and Joey Pappas, Clarks Summit. Back row: Tim Grier, Wilkes-Barre; Mike Senerchia, Blakely; Jeremy Allen, Dunmore; Justina Thomas, Honesdale; and club advisor, Paul Perrone.

Students, staff and faculty at Penn State Worthington Scranton have partnered with the American Cancer Society for a very important fundraiser.

On May 2-3, Penn State Worthington Scranton will host the 24-hour Relay for Life on the campus to raise money for the American Cancer Society and cancer research.  And, they are still seeking participants to walk, as well as looking to members of the campus and the local community it serves, for donations and pledges.

The Worthington Scranton group has set a goal of $36,000.  Since the kick-off for the event on March 4, it has raised $3,100 in donations.

In picture at right, Student Government Association president Jason Chilipko, presents Relay for Life Committee co-chair Phil Andujar, with a check for $3,000.  The additional $100 came from an anonymous donor.  “A man just walked up to me, heard about what we were doing and just handed me $100 for our cause,” stated Andujar, during the kick-off rally.  “That’s the kind of support we need and are looking for!”

Since then, the committee, and those who have already volunteered to either participate in the Relay or are working to secure pledges, have been busy enlisting students, staff, faculty and their friends and family to take part in the event or to make a donation.

So far, there are eight teams, with a total of 41 participants – but Mr. Andujar says more teams, volunteers and donors are still needed if the group is to raise the $36,000 goal they have set for themselves.

The Relay for Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature event and is held across the country each year by the American Cancer Society.  It is a fun-filled, overnight experience designed to bring together those who have been touched by cancer, either personally, or through friends and family who have been stricken with the disease.

It is a way for participants to celebrate survivors, remember those lost to cancer, and to fight back against the disease.  Relay participants help raise money and awareness to support the American Cancer Society’s cause in its mission to eliminate cancer as a major health issue.

Anyone interested in participating in the event, or interested in making a donation to the cause, is encouraged to do so as soon as possible, as the event is only a couple of weeks away.

Relay for Life Website

For more information contact Danielle Cebulko, dlc267@psu.edu, David Morrison at Dcmorrison20@hotmail.com or Philip Andujar, ppa5004@psu.edu or call the campus at 963-2700.

The first, a paper titled, "Teaching Software Engineering Including Integration with Other Disciplines" was co-written with Richard Stillman, of Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and will be published in an upcoming issue of the Information Systems Education Journal (ISEDJ).

ISEDJ is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by EDSIG, the Education Special Interest Group of AITP, the Association of Information Technology Professionals (Chicago, Illinois). 

It is published online in connection with ISECON, the Information Systems Education Conference, which is peer reviewed. ISEDJ papers are selected from among the papers submitted to ISECON. Award-winning papers (the top 15% of papers) from ISECON are automatically accepted to ISEDJ. Other papers are subjected to a second round of peer review to assess their qualilty and contribution to the field of Information Science education. Those papers that are deemed of sufficient quality are accepted for publication in the ISEDJ journal.

Peslak's second article, "Organizational Information Systems: Rate of Return and Influencing Variables as Viewed by Top Financial Executives" was published in the latest edition of the journal, Industrial Management and Data Systems (IMDS).

IMDS aims to improve managerial skills by promoting awareness of new technology and related concepts and their implications for new products and processes and to improve the industrial manager's understanding of all aspects of management activity, facilitating better communication between functions.

Penn State Worthington Scranton students involved in undergraduate research and special projects, will have the opportunity to showcase their works at the campus’s Spring Undergraduate Research and Projects Fair on Wednesday, April 16.

The fair will take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Study Learning Center’s Cafeteria Conference Room.

As in the past, posters, works-in-progress, class projects and creative works are welcome and will be on display.

Students, staff and faculty are encouraged to stop by to see the various projects that will be on display.

Throughout the year, Penn State Worthington Scranton’s faculty and staff work diligently to ensure the success of our campus and our students.

As a way of recognizing their efforts, Penn State Worthington Scranton has established the Campus Awards, which have been a long-standing resource for recognizing the efforts of hardworking faculty and staff.

Worthington Scranton continues to be remarkably successful in compelling benefactors to support our faculty and staff through select Campus Awards for the work they do both on our campus and in our community.  

Nominations for the Campus Awards are now underway, and continue through April 18, 2008.  All faculty, staff and students are encouraged to learn more about these awards and submit their nominations by going to www.sn.psu.edu/FacultyStaff/awards.htm

Awards nomination forms are available online.  The winners of these awards will be presented at this year's Honors Convocation in May.

Student Awards

In addition to faculty and staff awards, nominations are also now underway for several student awards/scholarships.

The Office of Student Aid is also making nominations for scholarships and awards for the upcoming academic 2008-09 academic year and is seeking input from faculty and staff to help nominate 12 students who meet the following criteria for the 2008-09 Faculty Senate Scholarship: 

Full-time student
3.25 minimum GPA
Sophomores, juniors, or seniors in 2008-09
Demonstrated financial need

Not a previous Senate Scholarship recipient

(Several scholarships require demonstrated service, leadership, extra-curricular activity.  Please note students’ activities, if known.)
 
Award values for Faculty Senate scholarships vary, but are typically between $800-$1200 a year and are one-time, non-renewable awards.  Nominations are due by Friday, May 16th to Mary Beth Dougherty, Financial Aid Coordinator and can be made via email (mbd14@psu.edu). 

Nominators should email or call Ms. Dougherty to ensure that the student they want to nominate has demonstrated financial need prior to making their nomination. Ultimately, five students will receive this scholarship.

Over 20 regional employers were at Penn State Worthington Scranton on April 2, to talk to students who were looking for jobs and interested in careers with their companies.

The types of employers ranged from Kane Trucking to Shamrock Communications to the Federal Prison System.

Throughout the day, students, many with resumes in hand, approached company representatives to learn more about their organizations, potential employment opportunities, career potential and how to possibly get their foot in the door.

The job fair was arranged through the campus’s Career Services department, and coordinated by Sophia Robles, Career Services Coordinator.   It was held in part of the campus cafeteria, The View.

“This Career Fair was truly a campus-wide effort,” said Bill Bryan, Director of Student Services, adding that many departments and individuals contributed their time and efforts to the event, including Admissions, Student Activities, IT, the Lion Ambassadors and the faculty and staff. 

“This was the largest and most successful to date Career Fair on our campus,” he said. “There were so many compliments coming from the prospective employers regarding how well they were received and treated throughout the day, and how impressed they were with our facilities and employees.”

Over 100 Worthington Scranton students, along with faculty and staff members gained some valuable insight during last week's instructional Business Etiquette Workshop.

The workshop, now in its sixth year at the campus and always a very popular event, featured Patrick Cataldo, MBA, Associate Dean for Executive Education at Penn State’s Smeal College of Business.

Mr. Cataldo walked those in attendance through each stage of the luncheon, starting with the basics – from knowing which cutlery to use based on its place setting and how to hold it, to how to eat certain foods, such as soup and pitted olives, as well as what not to do -- holding a cell phone conversation while seated at the table or constantly checking one’s Blackberry are definite no-nos.

Gavin Cerco, vice president of Prudential Financial, the workshop’s sponsor, stressed the importance of, and need for, knowing and using proper etiquette in business settings, most especially when at an executive dinner or luncheon.

He recounted his own experience of being at his first formal business dinner and not knowing the proper way to act.  Instead, he found himself waiting to see what others did, and then followed their lead.

Luckily, those in attendance at Worthington Scranton’s workshop won’t have that problem when they find themselves in a similar situation.

Thanks to Mr. Cataldo's very thorough instruction and well-presented information, these students are now armed with the knowledge that can help them make a fabulous first impression and quite possibly, be one of the determining factors of whether or not they get that job or promotion.

Bob Armstrong, sophomore -- engineering, said the luncheon was much different than he expected in terms of how the instruction progressed throughout the entire meal, and said it gave him some very useful knowledge that he believes will help prime him for the corporate world.

“There was a lot of new information I picked up that I hadn’t known before,” he said.

The Professional Protocol and Etiquette Workshop was one of several other business-oriented events scheduled for the month of April at Worthington Scranton, as the campus kicks off its Business Awareness Month.

On Thursday, April 17, the campus’s Business Club is sponsoring a Business Internship Panel from noon to 1 p.m. in the SLC’s Cafeteria Conference Room.  The panel will be comprised of current business students, as well as recent graduates, who will discuss their internship experiences and share the knowledge and insights they have gained through internships. 

The month’s activities wrap up with a Business Awareness Night on Wednesday, April 23 at 6 p.m. in the Study Learning Center’s Sherbine Lounge. This informative session is open to the public and will feature a panel of local professionals from various local businesses, as well as presentations from Worthington Scranton’s business faculty and admissions staff who will provide information on pursuing a business degree at Penn State.

Worthington Scranton currently offers associate and bachelor’s degrees in Business, with options in management, marketing or finance.

Anyone interested in attending the Business Awareness Night can register by calling 963-2500 or register online at http://www.ws.psu.edu.

Students interested in pursuing a degree and/or career in business will have plenty of opportunity to learn more about the regional business community and the degree programs offered at Penn State Worthington Scranton during the month of April.

Throughout the month, current students, as well as high school students and individuals will be able to attend a variety of programs geared at helping them decide which programs and career paths would be best for them.

Things kick off on April 2 with a Career Fair being held for students presently attending Penn State Worthington Scranton.  Close to 20 employers will be at the event to speak with students about their future careers, as well as to recruit future employees.

On April 3 at noon, Richard Kane, of Kane Trucking Inc., gives a presentation at the campus on Supply Chain Management and Distribution. 

Then, on Thursday, April 17, a Business Internship Panel comprised of current business students, as well as recent graduates, will discuss their internship experiences and share the knowledge and insights they have gained through internships.  The event was organized and sponsored by the campus’s Business Club.

The month’s activities wrap up with a Business Awareness Night on Wednesday, April 23 at 6 p.m. in the Study Learning Center’s Sherbine Lounge.   This informative session is open to the public and will feature a panel of local professionals from various local businesses, as well as presentations from Worthington Scranton’s business faculty and admissions staff who will provide information on pursuing a business degree at Penn State.

Worthington Scranton currently offers associate and bachelor’s degrees in Business, with options in management, marketing or finance.

Anyone interested in attending the Business Awareness Night can register by calling 963-2500 or register online at http://www.ws.psu.edu.

On Wednesday, April 2, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Penn State Worthington Scranton will host a Job/Career Fair for its students in the Study Learning Center’s cafeteria, The View.

To date, 18 regional employers have reserved tables at the fair and will have representatives there to speak with students about job and career opportunities at their organizations.

These employers represent a variety of businesses and industries and include:  Moses Taylor Hospital, Allied Services, Kane is Able, Inc., Fastenal, PA Department of Environmental Protection, Cigna Health Care, Tobyhanna Army Depot, Vector Marketing, Lackawanna County CareerLink, Shamrock Communications, First National Community Bank, PennDOT, Integrated Marketing Solutions, Lowes, Grainger Industrial Supplies, XLC Personnel Services, D.E. Foxx & Associates, Inc., and Mesko Glass and Mirror Company.

Students who will be graduating and/or seeking employment in the near future are strongly encouraged to attend this event, as it will allow them to make contacts with potential employers who are seeking new employee recruits.

Those planning to attend should come prepared to speak with these business representatives and have copies of their resumes that they can give to them.  It is also strongly suggested that those attending wear appropriate business attire.

For more information, or for help in preparing your resume for this event, students can contact Sophia Robles in the Career Services Offices at 963-2685.

According to a recent article in Time magazine, more and more companies are hiring outside consultants to teach their employees proper business etiquette.

One of the more popular demands for this training involves instruction on basic table manners and proper protocol and decorum in settings such as restaurants, where many client meetings occur.

This demand is due to today's more casual business environments, in which employees have the right job skills and experience to do their jobs, but may be at a loss as to how to act when faced with conducting business away from the office, such as in a restaurant or at a formal dinner event.

Penn State Worthington Scranton is addressing this issue for its students.  On Friday, March 28, a Professional Protocol and Dining Etiquette Workshop will be held in the Gallagher Conference Center from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The presenter is Patrick Cataldo, MBA, Associate Dean for Executive Education.

This workshop is a prelude to several other business-oriented events that will be held during the month of April, as the campus kicks off its Business Awareness Month, which highlights Worthington Scranton’s business curriculum and degree programs.

Other events being planned are a Job Fair, on Wednesday, April 2 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Gallagher Conference Center; a presentation by local business owner, Richard Kane, of Kane Trucking, Inc., who will address students on Thursday, April 3 at noon in the SLC’s Sherbine Lounge; a Business Internship Panel on Thursday, April 17 from noon to 1 p.m., sponsored by Worthington Scranton’s Business Club; and a Business Awareness Night on Wednesday, April 23 at 6 p.m. for prospective and current students interested in pursuing a business degree.

For more information on these events or to register, call 963-2500.

Individuals interested in a career helping children, families and/or the elderly, and making their community a better place should mark their calendars now for Wednesday, March 19 at 6 p.m..

On that date, Penn State Worthington Scranton will host its Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) Night in the Study Learning Center’s Sherbine Lounge.

The informative session will feature a panel of human development professionals from area agencies, as well as informative presentations from Worthington Scranton’s HDFS faculty and admissions staff.

Worthington Scranton’s bachelor of science degree in Human Development and Family Studies Life Span Human Services (HDFS-LSHS) is an interdisciplinary major combining work in psychology, sociology and other disciplines. 

The degree program applies knowledge from these fields to find practical solutions to problems facing individuals and families in today’s society.

HDFS graduates will be prepared to work with a variety of human service agencies that assist children, youth, the elderly, individuals and families.

Examples of careers in this field include case managers, probation officers, community health educators, nursing home activities specialists, hospice counselor, day care directors, human resources specialists, crisis intervention counselor, lead teachers at preschools and therapeutic staff support (TSS).

Students and individuals interested in attending the HDFS Night at Worthington Scranton can register online or by calling 963-2500.

On Friday, Feb. 29, Juliet Avery, staff assistant in Academic Affairs officially retired after 35 years at the University.

Juliet was honored with a special reception that took place that week, during which she was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation and an honorary Nittany Lion statue.

In addition, Chancellor Mary-Beth Krogh-Jespersen surprised Juliet with a special proclamation on her last day of work at the campus, and proclaimed Feb. 29, 2008 as “Juliet Avery Day” at Penn State Worthington Scranton.

Co-workers surprised her with a bouquet of roses and a celebratory cake.

Juliet said that during her time at Penn State, she thoroughly enjoyed her job and loved coming to work each day, but that she was very much looking forward to her retirement.

The campus community wishes Juliet a very long and happy retirement!

Over 70 students from seven local school districts took part in the MathCOUNTS competition on Tuesday, February 19 at Penn State Worthington Scranton.

At the end of the day, it was the team from Dingman Delaware Middle School that took first prize and will move onto the state competition this spring in Harrisburg.

MathCOUNTS is a national math enrichment, coaching and competition program that promotes middle school mathematics achievement throughout the United States. It has been taking place locally for at least 20 years, and hosted by Penn State Worthington Scranton for over five years.

Locally, it is sponsored by The Northeast Chapter of the Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers (PSPE).  Tina Merli, senior instructor in engineering at Penn State Worthington Scranton, helps coordinate the event at the college and members of the campus’s American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Student Chapter volunteer to work the event.

“The contest really draws attention to the importance of mathematics and trying to get the students thinking about careers that involve math -- with engineering obviously being one of those careers,” said Mary Bogart, MathCOUNTS chair and a member of PSPE.

This year, seventh and eighth graders from Delaware Valley, Lakeland, North Pocono, Old Forge, Tunkhannock, Wallenpaupack and Western Wayne took part in the competition, as well as a home-schooled team – the Maple Lake Math League.

Individual students, as well as teams, started the competition with a written examination.  Then the top 10 competitors faced off in a timed oral competition called “The Count Down Road”. 

Students even got a ‘taste’ of college life while at the campus, enjoying lunch at the campus and being treated to an ice cream social, courtesy of the campus’s Student Services Department.

The MathCOUNTS competition was held in conjunction with Engineering Month at Worthington Scranton and helped highlight the campus’s engineering programs and enineering as a career option.

Later this month, the campus hosts Engineering Information Night on Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 6 p.m. in the Study Learning Center’s Sherbine Lounge.  Dr. Majid Chatsaz, an associate professor of engineering at Worthington Scranton, will be the speaker and there will also be a panel of engineering professionals sharing their insights and experiences in this career field.

February is Engineering Month at Penn State Worthington Scranton and the campus’s Admissions and Engineering departments have lined up two special, informative evenings geared toward helping future engineering students learn more about this exciting field.

The first event, Building Engineering Technology with an Architectural Engineering Technology (AET) Option Awareness Night, will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 6 p.m. in the Study Learning Center’s Sherbine Lounge.

The AET option is an Associate Degree program offered at Worthington Scranton focusing on careers in the building and construction industries.  Students also have the option of continuing onto a four-year degree at another Penn State campus.

The BET/AET Awareness Night will be conducted in a panel format.  The Admissions Department has assembled a panel of regional engineering and building professionals, as well as a current engineering student, to speak about their insights and experiences, as well as career opportunities in these fields. 

Panelists for this information night include:  Charlie San Filippo of S & R Construction; Dean Butler, of The A & E Group; David Osborne from Ceco Associates; Nick Reuther and David Phillips of NCR Design; Jessica Smith of SDA Architects; and Robert Armstrong, a current Worthington Scranton AET student.

The second event is the Engineering Information Night, which will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 6 p.m. in the Study Learning Center’s Sherbine Lounge.

This event will also follow a panel format and have Dr. Majid Chatsaz, assistant professor of engineering at Worthington Scranton, as speaker.  Panelists include:  Kevin Toolan from the Tobyhanna Army Depot; Bobbi Weston, Dave Brzenchek, Joe Fontanella, and Jim Cook of Gentex; Ron Jenkins, Paul Laubham and John Pericci, of Lockheed Martin; Michael Wilk from Borton Lawson Associates; and Melissa Cardone, a current engineering student at Worthington Scranton.

Attendees of each of these sessions will also have the opportunity to ask questions of, and interact with, the panelists and learn more from Penn State admissions representatives about enrolling in one of Penn State’s engineering degree programs.

Click here for more information on these programs or to register. 

Rick Pambianco, a 1977 graduate of Penn State University and a Penn State Worthington Scranton alumnus, has been named 2007 Alumnus of the Year by the Penn State Worthington Scranton Alumni Society.

Mr. Pambianco, a charter member of the Penn State Worthington Scranton Alumni Society, has been a very active member and volunteer with the organization for the past 20 years and has held all executive board positions.  He is a past member of the Worthington Scranton Advisory Board, served on Alumni Council and is a life member of the Penn State Alumni Association.

He has been active in fundraising to support scholarship and program endowments, the Alumni Grand Destiny campaign, and campus renovations and improvements, including the Occupational Therapy Lab, Nursing Center and soon to be constructed Business Building at the local campus.

Mr. Pambianco has served as chairperson for numerous alumni event committees, including the Society’s annual golf tournament, Breakfast with the Lion and Casino Night fundraisers, Penn State Night at the Red Barons and basketball trips to University Park, among others.

He actively participates in the campus open houses, student luncheons, parades and corporate alumni breakfasts and lunches, in addition to serving with the Mentor Program, Paws for a Cause, the Reading Program, annual Christmas card, clothing and food drives and Christmas with Special Children.

“We are extremely fortunate to have someone like Rick involved in our organization,” said Lou Ingargiola, Penn State Worthington Scranton Alumni Society President. “He has contributed so much to the success of our programs and events and has truly made a huge impact.  It truly is our pleasure to be able to recognize him in this way.”

The Worthington Scranton campus has also benefited from Mr. Pambianco’s speaking talents over the years.  He has addressed gatherings at several campus open houses, at Commencement activities, welcoming new graduates into the Alumni Society, and at the Worthington Scranton Faculty Senate, outlining the mission and purpose of campus alumni and the role they play in the community.

He has also spoken at the annual Honors Dinner, presenting Outstanding Scholar Awards to students who achieved the highest grade point average in their chosen major.

In addition to his involvement at Penn State Worthington Scranton, Mr. Pambianco is also active within his community, having served as a past officer with the Jessup Carbino Club, past president of Valley Youth Soccer, and has coached Youth Soccer, Little League, Babe Ruth, Teener League and football for the Blue Ridge and Mid Valley school districts.

He resides in Archbald with his wife, Marina.  They have three children:  Tony, Macungie, and Luke and Emily, at home. He is employed as a contracts manager by L3 Communications Corporation’s Link Simulation and Training Division, Binghamton, NY where he manages Air Force programs for the Binghamton, NY and Arlington, TX facilities.

The Penn State Worthington Scranton Alumni Society will honor Mr. Pambianco at a special reception on Thursday, Feb. 21.

Penn State Worthington Scranton recently held its annual Staff Service Awards program during a special employee luncheon in the Study Learning Center Cafe.  All campus staff and employees were invited to attend the event and those employees celebrating landmark anniversaries were honored for their years of service to the Worthington Scranton community. Director of Academic Affairs Michael Mahalik presented the awards.  Those employees honored were:

Marie Killian, staff assistant to Penn State Worthington Scranton Chancellor Dr. Mary-Beth Krogh-Jespersen, was honored for her Five Years of Service and received a commemorative plaque.

Ron Yevitz, Instructor in Business Administration, was honored with a plaque and gift recognizing his 10 years of service at the university.

Sue Harper, a senior instructor in English, and Verna Saleski, senior instructor in nursing, were recognized for their 15 years of service at Penn State Worthington Scranton.

Majid Chatsaz, assistant professor of engineering, who has been with the university for 20 years, received a plaque and commemorative gift.

David Byman, assistant professor of biology, was honored for his 25 years of service at Penn State Worthington Scranton with a commemorative plaque and a commemorative Penn State University Rocking Chair.

Gayle Smith, associate professor of English, accepted her award honoring her 30 years of service at Penn State Worthington Scranton.

Penn State Worthington Scranton recently welcomed six new faculty members to the campus.

Milton Evans, RN, has been hired as an instructor for Worthington Scranton’s Nursing Program.  A professional nurse for 26 years, Milton has worked as general staff, and in intensive care, emergency, supervisory, management and perioperative services. He also was a nurse educator for 10 years.

He received his MS in Community Health Nursing from Binghamton University, his B.S. in Nursing from the University of the State of New York, and his diploma from Community Medical Center School of Nursing, Scranton.  He is also nearing his Ph.D. candidacy at Binghamton University (SUNY).

Milton has worked as an adjunct nursing instructor at several college schools of nursing since 1995.  He is the father of a son and daughter, both of whom are chefs, having received their education at the Culinary Institute of America. In his spare time, he helps raise and show Shetland Sheepdogs (shelties).

Matthew Halloran has joined Penn State Worthington Scranton as an Assistant Professor of Economics and currently teaches Introductory Microeconomics and Introductory Macroeconomics.  He was previously a visiting instructor of Economics at Kansas State University during the 2005-2006 academic year and visiting professor of Economics at Ball State University during the 2004-2005 academic year.

A member of Worthington Scranton’s Undergraduate Research Committee, Matthew's main research focus is in the field of experimental economics.  Recent research has focused on experimental institutions designed to facilitate cooperation in the provision of public goods.  His recent publications include "The Voluntary Provision of a Public Good with Binding Multi-round Commitments," Research in Experimental Economics, Vol. 11 (2006) and "Rewards and Sanctions and the Provision of Public Goods in One-Shot Settings," Experimental Economics (2004).

Matthew is also a member of the American Economic Association, and the Economic Science Association, and presented the paper "Rewards and Sanctions and the Provision of Public Goods in One-Shot Settings" at the International Meeting of the Economic Science Association.

A native of Pittsburgh, he received his bachelor's degree in Economics and Mathematics from St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA in 1997, and a Doctor of Philosophy from Indiana University at Bloomington in 2006.  He currently lives in Dunmore, PA with his wife Kristina.

Jim Hart was hired as an Instructor of Effective Speech.  A 1986 graduate of Marywood College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication Arts, he received his Masters of Science Degree in Instructional Technology from Marywood College and is a state-certified media specialist.

Prior to joining Worthington Scranton, Jim served a dual role as lecturer in public speaking and coordinator of technical and instructional support in the Instructional Technology Department at Marywood University.

Jim has taught various courses including Video in the Classroom, Freshman Student Seminar, and a hybrid/online speech course and was a facilitator for Student Orientation and internships in the Instructional Technology degree, and was a visiting artist in local high schools, as well as working as a class advisor.

He has served on the Distance Education, Professional Development, and the Technical Advisory committees and is a member of CAPE, AECT, and CCUMC.

Jim is a member of Scranton Public Theatre and the Children’s Theatre Touring Company. He has acted and done voice-overs for various professional productions and coaches youth football and baseball.

A native of Archbald, PA, Jim resides in Binghamton, New York with his wife Nancy and four children, Katie, Shane, Christian, and Jim.

Kelley Wagers is an Assistant Professor of English at Worthington Scranton. Her primary areas of study include American and Transatlantic Modernism, African American literature, and literary and cultural theory.

She teaches courses on nineteenth- and twentieth-century literature, American Studies, and introductory and advanced writing. She has an essay on W.E.B. DuBois soon to be published, and has written on Gertrude Stein and William James.

Her current research considers intersections among history, geography and literary modernism, especially in the work of Zora Neale Hurston and Willa Cather. She holds a B.A. from Grinnell College and an M.A. and Ph.D. from SUNY Buffalo, where she was a Presidential Fellow.

Kelley has lived all over the United States and traveled in West Africa and Europe. Aside from research and teaching, she particularly enjoys hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing.

Hai Wang, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the College of Information Sciences and Technology at the Penn State Worthington Scranton.

He received his Ph.D. from Penn State University and his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Jilin University (Changchun, China). His research interests are in computer and network security.

Taoye Zhang, Ph.D., is assistant professor of economics at Worthington Scranton.  He received his Ph.D. is mathematics from West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV in August, 2007 and his bachelor of science degree in mathematics and applied mathematics from the University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China, in July, 2002.

He was awarded a HERF Supplemental Teaching Fellowship for excellent teaching assistants during the 2006-07 academic year and is a member of the American Mathematical Society and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.

Free pizza and soft drinks will be provided, starting at 5 p.m., with tip-off times at 5:45 p.m. for the women's team and 8 p.m. for the men's team.

The Blue and White Society is the student contingent of the Penn State Alumni Association and promotes Penn State pride on campus by encouraging student involvement in campus events and activities.

Admission is free to those who show their Penn State pride by wearing blue or white attire.  Penn State lanyards will be given to the first 100 fans and contests and drawings will be held throughout the evening.  Entertainment will be provided by the Penn State Cheerleaders and the Nittany Lion, along with other special guest appearances.

Later in the week, on Friday, Feb. 8, Phil Grosz, a well-known Penn State commentator and editor of the "Blue and White Illustrated" will address the Greater Scranton Penn State Chapter at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria of the Study Learning Center.  He will summarize all Penn State football recruits committing to Penn State by Wednesday, Feb. 6 -- the National Letter of Intent Day. 

Admission is $7 for non-members or free to Chapter members following payment of their $10 annual membership dues.  More details on this event and the Greater Penn State Chapter can be found at the chapter's http://www.psuscranton.org/.

For more information on these events, or to volunteer to help, call the PSWS Alumni Office at 963-2537.

Two Penn State Worthington Scranton staff members were recently recognized by Chancellor Mary-Beth Krogh-Jespersen for their efforts in updating and maintaining their department web pages. 

Mary Lance, a staff assistant for the campus acdemic affairs department and a member of the campus Web Team, was honored for her work on the May, 2007 Commencement web page.

Ms. Lance researched, designed and created a graphic for the commencement page that provided important event information to graduating students and their families.  The research and creative work that Ms. Lance did in developing the new Commencement page was held up as a model for all campus departments looking to improve their sections of the web.

In addition, she also worked on designing and creating a new “Contact Us” website and updating the International Studies website for Spring Break 2008.

Marissa Curtin, Division of Undergraduate Studies and Learning Center Coordinator, received her Web Award for her efforts in creating and updating the Learning Center pages of the Worthington Scranton Student Services area of the Worthington Scranton website.

Specifically, Ms. Curtin added the “Blue and White Owl” graphic to several of the learning center’s web pages, created and linked the Academic Coaching page and linked the “I Study for Success” site to her learning center’s page.

Additionally, she was responsible for updating the 2007-08 FTCAP pages, located in the academic advising area of the website.

Ms. Lance and Ms. Curtin both received commemorative plaques from Dr. Krogh-Jespersen honoring their hard work and achievements.

The Web Awards were created by the Penn State Worthington Scranton Web Team to honor and recognize any staff or faculty member who demonstrates initiative and creativity in performing web-related functions for their particular area, and exceeds average standards.

Philip Mosley, a professor of English and Comparative Literature at Penn State Worthington Scranton and a noted historian, will introduce two films being presented at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC on February 2.

Mosley, who has presented programs at the National Gallery of Art (NGA) on three separate occasions in 1994, 1995 and 2001, was invited to present the upcoming programs by Peggy Parson, NGA’s curator of film programs.

The first film he will introduce, is “Henri Storck’s Legacy: Belgian Films”, which honors Storck's vision as filmmaker and advocate for a genre of film that has played a significant role in Belgian production over the years.

Mosley possesses an in-depth knowledge of Belgian cinema, having published a book on the subject in 2000, titled “Split Screen: Belgian Cinema and Cultural Identity.”

The second film presented by Mosley will be “England’s Finest Hour: Films by Humphrey Jennings”.  It honors Humphrey Jennings, a British filmmaker who began his career as a documentarist, created lyrical movies about the working classes in wartime London, joined the surrealist movement and died tragically while scouting for locations.

The films will be shown at the National Gallery of Art on Feb. 2 at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. respectively.

Mosley, a published editor and writer who wrote the introduction for, and served as editor of the book “Anthracite! An Anthology of Coal Region Drama” and most recently translated “The Intelligence of Flowers” a republication of a celebrated essay by 19^th century nature writer Maurice Maeterlinck, has been a faculty member at Worthington Scranton for the past 20 years.

His research interests include comparative literature, film studies, cultural studies and literary translation.

NGA was created in 1937 for the people of the United States of America by a joint resolution of Congress, accepting the gift of financier and art collector Andrew W. Mellon. 

It is presently offering an ongoing program of classic cinema, documentary, avant-garde, and area premieres that occur each weekend in the East Building Auditorium, 4th Street at Constitution Avenue NW.  For more information about the Gallery’s film series, go to www.nga.gov/programs/film.

Financial Aid Night
January 16, 2008
6:00-8:00pm
Study Learning Center

There will be a financial aid workshop to outline and explain all processes to complete the finanical aid application on January 16, 2008 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm in the Study Learning Center.  To register, Sign up here or go to www.psu.edu/admissions or call 570-963-2500.