The national picture of nursing education is changing.

As a leader in the field, Penn State is transitioning the associate of science (A.S.) degree in Nursing to a baccalaureate of science (B.S.) degree in Nursing at the Altoona, Erie, Fayette, Mont Alto and Worthington Scranton campuses.

This transition aligns with the future of nursing practice and projected employment patterns.

The fall 2014 semester will be the final opportunity for admission to the two-year associate of science (A.S.) program in Nursing, and the first opportunity for admission to the four-year baccalaureate of science (B.S.) program in Nursing at these five campuses.

For more information, click here or call the Worthington Scranton nursing department at 570-963-2644. 

Former Nittany Lions quarterback coach Jay Paterno will be the guest speaker when the Wayne-Pike Penn State Chapter hosts its Annual Dinner on Tuesday, May 28 at The Settlers Inn in Hawley. 

The Chapter will also honor Mary Anne Linde as its Alumna of the Year and award scholarships to six area students.

Mr. Paterno, son of legendary Penn State football Coach Joe Paterno, spent 22 seasons coaching, including 17 years on the Penn State staff.  2011 was his twelfth year as the quarterbacks coach and pass game coordinator.  In his nine seasons as Penn State's recruiting coordinator, Penn State ranked in the National Top 20 eight times, including five Top 10 Finishes and two National No. 1 rankings. He recruited several players who went on to compete in the NFL.

Off the field, he has been active in a number of areas. He is the executive director of Nets4Nets, a non-profit agency devoted to fighting malaria in Africa; serves on the board of The Mount Nittany Conservancy; served on the board of the National MS Society’s Central Pennsylvania Chapter for several years; and chaired a fund-raising campaign for The Centre County Youth Services Bureau.

In 2008 and 2012, Mr. Paterno worked on the Obama presidential campaign as a surrogate speaker, making appearances around the state of Pennsylvania. In the fall of 2010 he gave the opening speech for Vice-President Joe Biden at Penn State. Currently, he is a bi-weekly columnist for StateCollege.com writing on topics from athletics to education to politics to current affairs.  He has lectured classes in psychology, and labor and industrial relations, as well as in Penn State’s College of Communications and internationally-known Smeal College of Business.

Mr. Paterno has also given speeches on leadership and team-building for private industry groups, and has spoken at charity fundraising events from coast to coast, as well as to The Commonwealth Prevention Alliance—a Pennsylvania State-wide substance abuse prevention group. His appearances on behalf of Penn State include speeches to alumni groups as far west as Los Angeles. 

He has appeared on many television shows, including Good Morning America, Katie Couric, The Today Show, CBS This Morning, Mike and Mike, and on every major network’s evening news. He has also been interviewed on several national talk radio shows and in markets across the country.

Mary Anne Linde, '68, Home Economics Education is this year's Wayne-Pike Penn State Chapter Alumna of the Year honoree. She and her family are long-time supporters of Penn State and have donated to several major building projects at the Worthington Scranton campus. 

They have established the Linde Family Business Mentoring Program there, which provides an opportunity for junior and senior level students enrolled in the baccalaureate degree program in Business to enhance their educational experience through advanced instruction and participation in special programs and projects. 

In addition, Mary Anne serves on the Penn State Worthington Scranton “For the Future: The Campaign for Penn State Students” Committee.  She is the corporate secretary for E.R. Linde Construction, Inc. and Leeward Construction, Inc.  

Among her community service interactions she has volunteered at the Stephens Memorial Golf Tournament since its inception. She lives in Honesdale and is married to Eric Linde and is the proud mother of five children and 12 grandchildren.

The evening begins at 5:30 PM with cocktails, followed by dinner at 6:30 PM. Tickets are available at the following locations: Art’s Apparel, Teeter’s Furniture and the Greentown Branch of The Dime Bank. For any questions, please call Wayne Garafola at 570-676-5577. 

A highlight of the evening is the presentation of campus awards that have been set up by campus donors to celebrate students who show excellence and are actively involved in the campus community.

The Eric A. and Josephine S. Walker Award is given to the student who has most improved the reputation of the University through extracurricular activities. Students must be nominated by faculty, staff or current Worthington Scranton students. This year’s recipient is Michael Bouselli.

The Patrick J. Rose Award for Excellence in Student Leadership and Service, which honors and recognizes outstanding achievement by an undergraduate student who has completed at least two semesters at Penn State Worthington Scranton was given to Candyce Mays.

Club Advisor of the Year, given to an outstanding faculty club advisor for their involvement with, and mentorship of, students was given to two faculty members. Dr. Matthew Mutchler, assistant professor of Human Development and Family Studies, and the advisor for the Community Service Club; and Fred Aebli, instructor in Information Sciences and Technology, and advisor for the IST club.

Other awards and recipients are: 

Club of the Year: The IST club.

Event of the Year:  Strategic Games

Outstanding Participation:  Community Service Club

Most Collaborative:  The Paranormal Club

Academic Achievement:  Nursing Club

Rookie of the Year:  e-Sports

Tierney Lyons, campus reference librarian, contrasted two trends in scholarly communication in her latest article entitled, "Public Access, Open Access: Outlining the Key Differences."

Increasingly, government agencies are requiring researchers receiving federal grants to make their results freely available, the latest being the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

"For health care and academic administrators facing ongoing financial challenges, the open access initiative and mandates for free public access to scholarly literature will continue to gain importance,” Ms. Lyons explained. “Librarians play a role in explaining the difference between public access and open access."

The article appears in the March 2013 issue of MLA News. Her co-author, Donna Gibson, Director of Library Services, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, contributed insight on the history of open access and current publishing models.

They noted that "incorporating networking and collaborative features enhances researchers’ options for presenting their work and encourages larger scale peer communication and cross-disciplinary innovation. Such dissemination accelerates scholarly communication by ensuring availability of federal research results in a free, interoperable, and preserved repository."

Ms. Lyons recently accepted a national appointment as the 2013-14 Chair of the Scholarly Communication Committee of the Medical Library Association and serves as a member of the research and assessment committee of its Mid-Atlantic Chapter.

For more information on the Office of Science and Technology Policy on researchers making their results freely accessible, visit:   www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/02/22/expanding-public-access-results-federally-funded-research.

Penn State Worthington Scranton held its 45^th Commencement on Friday, May 3 during a ceremony in the campus’ Multi-Purpose Building. 

Penn State Worthington Scranton Chancellor Mary-Beth Krogh-Jespersen, Ph.D. presided, and Maryla Scranton, Penn State Worthington Scranton alumna and advisory board president, delivered the commencement address. 

Mrs. Scranton was introduced by PSWS Advisory Board Vice Chair Dean Butler. Kathy Zielinski, campus alumni society president, offered the alumni charge to the new group of Penn State Worthington Scranton alumni.

Dr. H. Durell Johnson, associate director of academic affairs and an associate professor of Human Development and Family Studies, served as faculty marshal for the ceremony.

“On behalf of our entire campus community, I want to express how honored we are to be here tonight to acknowledge and celebrate the accomplishments and hard work of these graduating students,” said Dr. Krogh-Jespersen. 

“We wish these students, now Penn State University alumni, all the best as they leave here to pursue their future endeavors, and we take great pride and pleasure in knowing that we have provided them the tools they need to meet the career and academic challenges that await them.”

During her commencement address, Mrs. Scranton shared her love of her alma mater, saying, “I love Penn State and will always be grateful to the faculty who put up with me and taught me so much. They prepared me well.  . . . but I'll share with you some of the most important things I've learned along the way, so far, and they pertain to both my professional and my personal life.”

“Life is about making choices,” Mrs. Scranton said.

“When you walk out that door tonight, you’re going to have to make some very important choices….Now it’s time to make the choice! Stay focused and go for it! Work very, very hard toward that goal and leave no stone unturned,” she advised.

She also encouraged the students not to be afraid of failure.

“Fear will ruin your life; failure won’t. Failure provides opportunity to learn. It’s one of the best graduate schools you will ever attend,” she said. “When you fail, which everyone does from time to time, pull yourself up and start again.”

She also told the new alumni to never stop working on themselves, never give up, and to strive for balance in their lives.

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

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

Several students graduated with honors of distinction. 

Graduating with Highest Distinction:  Nevin F. Balliet, Scranton; Christopher C. Hunt, Pocono Summit; Allison F. Miller, Greentown; Glenn R. Owens, Sr., Taylor; and Amy C. Smith, Factoryville.

Graduating with high distinction: Katherine A. Dibello, Roaring Brook Twp.; and Kirsten I. Stevens, Forty-Fort.

Graduating with distinction:  Marykay J. Cirba, Scranton; Diana K. Kloss, Clifton Twp.; William T. Rosar, Jermyn; Kristy B. Snyder, Factoryville; and Bonita L. Urzen, Jessup.

The following Penn State Worthington Scranton 2013 graduates, by Penn State college and degree earned are:

Bachelor of Arts, American Studies:  Richard J. Barnoski, Taylor; Maura J. Brazil, Scranton; Michael F. Mandarano, Scranton; Mark D. Matthews, Jr., Moosic; and Jeremy P. Spear, Clarks Summit.

Associate in Engineering Technology, Building Engineering Technology:  Justin G. Vislocky, Peckville.

Associate in Science, Business Administration: Marykay J. Cirba, Scranton; Brad M. Cristiano, Old Forge; Robert J. Dorson, Greenfield Twp.; Craig M. Ellefsen, Dickson City; Sean M. Fluette, Scranton; Glenn R. Owens, Sr., Taylor; and Manuel Uribe, Kingsley.

Bachelor of Science, Business:  Michael J. Andrews III, Throop; Michael V. Baldauff, Dunmore; Brandon D. Berkosky, Dickson City; Carol A. Bestrycki, Scranton; Nusrat F. Bhuiyan, Old Forge; Christopher F. Burke, Scranton; Jeffrey C. Carpenetti, Scranton; Jonathan A. Ciuccoli, Scott Twp.; Walter T. Clark, Lake Ariel; Pasquale M. Cornacchia, Lakeville; Harry R. Curnow IV, Carbondale; Lindsey A. Drazba, Scranton; David C. Ecker, Dunmore; Ryan F. Ehnot, Dunmore; Stephanie L. Erb, Mayfield; Kevin A. Fabiano, Tannersville; Joseph J. Gibbons, Scranton; Travis A. Gill, Browndale; Alfred W. Gillette, Scranton; Joshua J. Grabowski, Scott Twp.; Tara R. Grabowski, Scott Twp.; Ryan W. Holleran, Susquehanna; Thomas J. Jones, Scott Twp.; Casey J. Judge, Taylor; Christopher A. Krouchick, Jr., Scranton; Lindsay Kuchinski, Moosic; Nicole M. Lynch, Greenfield Twp.; Meghann C. Lyons, Nicholson; Cody D. Moyle, Waymart; Oluyomi A. Ojo, Scranton; Rinal S. Patel, Scranton; Zalak D. Patel, Scranton; Matthew D. Patterson, Hughestown; Matthew D. Rader, Scranton; Kevin P. Rainey, Dunmore; Nichole A. Ryder, Scranton; Jinal M. Shah, Scranton; John H. Shultz, Jr., Dunmore; David L. Thomas, Scranton; Sarah E. Todary Michael, Scranton; Nicole K. Tokash, Scott Twp.; Amy J. Trochinsky, Peckville; Michael A. Viola III, Dunmore; Jonathan E. Washo, Clarks Summit; Jeffrey A. Williams, Scott Twp.; and Annastauszia T. Zaikowski, Scranton.

Bachelor of Arts, English:  Megan B. Lucas, Scranton; and Lindsay N. Roth, Scranton.

Associate in Science, Human Development and Family Studies:  Alicia K. Basalyga, Clarks Summit; and Helen R. Cobb-Shifler, Waymart.

Bachelor of Science, Human Development and Family Studies:  Britt M. Ackerman, Lakeville; Jennifer L. Aniska, Taylor; Brittany M. Baker, Moosic; Heather J. Brayya, Carbondale; Diane C. Bridges, Jessup; Brittany L. Budzinski, Jefferson Twp.; Margaret A. Cadden, Scranton; Angela F. Capone, Dunmore; Breanna L. Cawley, Dunmore; Katherine A. Dibello, Roaring Brook Twp.; Arielle L. Fallas, Archbald; Geraldine Ferrer, Tobyhanna; Stephanie M. Ficarro, Susquehanna; Casey Grow, Clarks Green; Monica R. Hamilton, Gouldsboro; Jessica Ingersoll, Olyphant; Abigail A. Kakareka, Madisonville Twp.; Amanda A. Lilik, Dickson City; Colleen G. Loughney, Dunmore; James J. Lovallo, Scranton; Stephanie J. McLaughlin, Scranton; Joseph J. McTague, Scranton; Holly J. Morgan, Taylor; Kaitlin M. Munley, Scranton; Amy C. Smith, Factoryville; Kimberly B. Smith, Factoryville; Kirsten I. Stevens, Forty-Fort; Nicole F. Valenti, Jefferson Twp.; and Alyssa A. Washo, Scranton.

Associate in Science, Information Sciences and Technology:  Chad M. Griffith, Dickson City; and Kristy B. Snyder, Factoryville.

Bachelor of Science, Information Sciences and Technology:  Jonathon E. Bobola, South Abington Twp.; William D. Chimel, South Abington Twp.; Cody L. Cooper, Clarks Summit; Matthew J. Evans, Jessup; Matthew R. Gosselin, Old Forge; Christopher C. Hunt, Pocono Summit; Marcus R. LeDoux, Tobyhanna; Jonathan S. Mall, Simpson; Joseph C. Molnar, Nicholson; Christopher C. Pacheco, Swiftwater; Paul E. Propert II, Susquehanna; William T. Rosar, Jermyn; Dominic M. Serra, Moscow; Alicia Setzer, Roaring Brook Twp.; Vedish G. Shah, Scranton; Eryk Skowronski, Dickson City; Earl T. Sohns, Scranton; and James W. Watson, Jr., Throop.

Associate in Arts, Letters, Arts and Sciences:  Fariha Abdul Quddus, Scranton; Brenda J. Antidormi, South Canaan; Alyssa N. Butler, Madison Twp.; Natasha E. Butler, Jefferson Twp.; Christopher R. Kern, Clarks Summit; Christina Munley, Scranton; Arpita A. Patel, Scranton; Angelia R. Petrillo, Scranton; Erin H. Walsh, Olyphant; and Robert J. Zenzal, Scott Twp.

Bachelor of Arts, Letters, Arts and Sciences:  Nevin F. Balliet, Scranton; Viviana J. Barbitta, Hawley; Rachel S. Burnis, Forest City; Michael E. Fallo, Jefferson Twp.; Megan E. Harrington, Scranton; Stephen P. Pigga, Dunmore; and Amoriah L. Tremko, Taylor.

Associate in Science, Nursing:  Edrees Abdul Latif, Scranton; Bhumika M. Amin, Scranton; Alyssa L. Antonio, Old Forge; Tara L. Bassi, Roaring Brook Twp.; Jennifer E. Carper, Clarks Summit; Amy M. Charnetski, Old Forge; Nicole A. Chrysler, Clarks Summit; Nicholas J. Chulock, Bloomsburg; Elisabeth A. Cohen, Clarks Summit; Marissa Curtin, Scranton; Megan M. Davis, Lake Ariel; Christina M. Eboli, Dunmore; Alyssa Marielle B. Fabi, Dunmore; Lea Ann Fallon, McAdoo; Julia V. Fox, Waymart; Lindsey M. Gorniak, Scranton; Amber M. Gurke, Archbald; Deborah A. Howie, Scranton; Joanne Huddy, Dickson City; Jordyn E. Kelly, Scranton; Keren Khawaja, Hazleton; Ashley E. Krajewski, Throop; Maryrose Krzemieniecki, Narrowsburg; Kristen L. Lininger, Duryea; Kimberly C. Long, Madison Twp.; Sarah R. Loych, Clarks Summit; Allison F. Miller, Greentown; Rachael O. Okafor, Moosic; Ayu F. Parry, Scranton; Lilli M. Price, Old Forge; Brittany M. Renzini, Jessup; Richard J. Rudden, Archbald; Lynn M. Salvati, Hawley; Sarah E. Schweinsburg, Waymart; Brittany A. Seigle, Madison Twp.; London N. Seigle, Madison Twp.; Colleen Silva, Gouldsboro; Patricia A. Snodgrass, Throop; Christina A. Tompkins, Drums; Anna Torbenko, Hazleton; Bonita L. Urzen, Jessup; Stephanie A. Walsh, Moscow; Angeline N. Wauran, Scranton; Marian C. Wojnarowski, Mayfield; Kristin E. Woody, Taylor; Kelly E. Worozbyt, Dunmore; Elizabeth A. Ziegler, Scranton; and Lisa A. Zornow, Peckville.

Bachelor of Science, Nursing:  Renee F. Blakiewicz, South Abington Twp.; Ashley L. Bortel, Dunmore; Rose Burti, Old Forge; Kathryn V. Celano, Archbald; Kelly B. Cooney, Scranton; Leslie M. Decker, Newfoundland; Allyson K. Favuzza, Madison Twp.; Michael D. Fowler, Jr., Scranton; Nicole A. Franceschelli, Avoca; Elizabeth A. Hoban, Old Forge; Melanie C. Keating, Dunmore; Allison E. Keeler, Scranton; Diana K. Kloss, Clifton Twp.; Kevin P. Kolodgie, Moosic; Christina M. MacDowell, Carbondale; Leah R. McCurdy, Wilkes-Barre; Michele Moskalczyk, Throop; Nicole A. Nahlen, Dunmore; Jane A. Osborn, Springville; Richard J. Robinson III, Scranton; Audrey S. Rocco, Throop; Sarahjean D. Seymour, Scranton; Mary J. Shillabeer, Falls; Dlaurie A. Siclari, Lake Ariel; Michael A. Stelma, South Abington Twp.; Nicole Stombaugh, Scott Twp.; Rebecca L. Strauss, Cumbola; Alexis A. Swencki, Lake Ariel; Alicia E. Tait-Novak, Scott Twp.; Amanda K. To, Scranton; and Justin J. Ware, Clifton.

Bachelor of Science, Science:  Christine H. Chicoski, Hawley.

Bachelor of Science, Elementary and Kindergarten Education: Michalena H. Rulis, Carbondale.

Admissions counselors are currently reviewing all four-year nursing students from Marywood that have contacted us and have already accepted seven third-year, three second-year and two first-year students to date, said Director of Enrollment Sandra Feather. "

"Our nursing department here on campus has also established a plan of action to help out in this situatin and is also working with our academic affairs department for addition support for clinicals," she added.

Worthington Scranton's program is both NLN accredited and has accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). 

The campus also offers a master's degree for nurse practitioners, as well as bachelor's degree in science.

Anyone needing more information on nursing degrees at Penn State Worthington Scranton should call the Admissions Department at 963-2500.

Nursing faculty at Penn State Worthington Scranton recently welcomed 49 new nursing graduates into the nursing profession during their annual pinning ceremony.

The “pinning” ceremony, an annual tradition at Penn State Worthington Scranton is a symbolic welcoming of newly-graduated nurses into the nursing profession.

Worthington Scranton nursing faculty presented the new graduates with Penn State’s School of Nursing’s official pin.

The pins are not a required part of any nursing uniform, however, in honor of tradition, most students will wear their pins after they graduate and begin working as professional nurses.

This year, Penn State Worthington Scranton graduated a total of 79 nurses. The 49 nurses that participated in the pinning ceremony, as well as 31 nurses who received their bachelor's degrees.

The new nurses pinned at Thursday night's ceremony were:

First row, left to right: Marian Wojnarowski, Joanne Huddy, Jordyn Kelly, Alyssa Fabi, Keren Khawaja, Ayu Parry, Ashley Krajewski, and Anna Torbenko.

Second row, left to right: Allison Miller, Kimberly Long, Kristin Woody, Christina Eboli, Lea Ann Fallon, and Colleen Silva.

Third row, left to right: Megan Davis, Sarah Schweinsburg, Richard Rudden, Angeline Wauren, and Kristen Lininger.

Fourth row, left to right: London Seigle, Patricia Snodgrass, Edress Abdul Latif, Elisabeth Cohn, Sarah Loych, Jennifer Carper, Bonnie Urzen, and Brittany Renzini.

Fifth row, left to right: Brittany Seigle, Amy Charnetski, Lilli Price, and Rachael Okafor.

Sixth row, left to right: Maryrose Krzemieniecki, Lynn Salvati, Deborah Howie, and Bhumika Amin.

Seventh row, left to right: Tara Bassi, Marissa Curtin, and Alyssa Antonio.

Eighth row, left to right: Julia Fox, Christina Tompkins,Stephanie Walsh, and Elizabeth Ziegler.

Ninth row, left to right: Lisa Zornow, Kelly Worozbyt, and Amber Gurke.

Tenth row, left to right: Nicole Chrysler and Lindsey Gorniak.

Missing from photo: Nicholas Chulock

Dr. Philip Mosley, professor of English and comparative literature has been awarded an Erasmus Mundus Scholarship by the European Union to participate in its international Doc Nomads course for graduate film students.

Dr. Mosley will be a visiting scholar in Brussels, Belgium, at the Sint-Lukas campus of the Luca School of Arts in November-December 2013, where he will be involved in team teaching an intensive seminar on Belgian cinema, supervising individual students' essays, and doing his own film studies research.

"This scholarship will permit me to work briefly with graduate students from across the European Union, who have undertaken an exciting academic journey, that of the Doc Nomads program, taking them to three different countries over three semesters,” Dr. Mosley said.

“As I will be teaching an intensive seminar on Belgian cinema and identity, I will be able to introduce elements of my new book on the cinema of the award-winning Dardenne brothers from southern Belgium,” he further explained. “My previous stay in Belgium, as a Fulbright professor in 2003-04, was at a French-speaking university, so I'm excited to have an opportunity this time around to experience the Flemish (Dutch-speaking) higher educational system."

Dr. Mosley will be teaching an intensive three-day seminar on Belgian cinema and identity, to be held in a state-of-the-art auditorium at the Film Museum of the Belgian Cinematek in Brussels. The seminar will be open to the public and will form part of the museum's official program.

In addition to teaching the seminar, Dr. Mosley will also be resuming a minor research project on Belgian coal mining films. “This connects with my ongoing interest in the cultural legacy of the northeastern Pennsylvania anthracite region. Belgium, like NEPA, once had a vast coal industry that has now disappeared, but some of its valuable history is preserved on film,” said Dr. Mosley.

The university college LUCA School of Arts (LUCA) joins leading institutes for higher education in Flanders: Lemmens Institute (Leuven), Narafi (Brussels), Sint-Lucas Architecture (Brussels-Ghent), Sint-Lucas Visual Arts (Ghent) and Sint-Lukas Brussels (Brussels).

Sint-Lukas Brussels University College of Art and Design provides specialist education and research in the fields of fine art, photography, graphic design, communication design, illustration and comics, interior design, film, animation film and construction technology.

A top-selling and highly ranked strategic management textbook has cited an article co-authored by Dr. Michael D. Michalisin, professor of management and program coordinator for the business program at Penn State Worthington Scranton.

The textbook, Strategic Management: Competitiveness & Globalization (10^th ed.), written by Michael Hitt (Texas A&M), R. Duane Ireland (Texas A&M), and Robert Hoskisson (Rice University), cites research published in an article entitled “Entrepreneurial Drive in the Top Management Team: Effects on Strategic Choice and Firm Performance”, which Dr. Michalisin co-authored with Dr. Matthew S. Wood, assistant professor at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

The textbook is used in undergraduate and MBA level courses in Strategic Management. The cited article was originally published in a 2010 edition of the Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies.

Dr. Michalisin’s and Dr. Wood’s citation states: “In addition to determining new strategic initiatives, top-level managers develop a firm’s organizational structure and reward systems. Top executives also have a major effect on a firm’s culture. Evidence suggests that managers’ values are critical in shaping a firm’s cultural values. Accordingly, top-level managers have an important effect on organizational activities and performance. Because of the challenges top executives face, they often are more effective when they operate as top management teams.”

“Our article was indeed a high-risk academic inquiry in that it pushed the envelope in many ways – theoretical, methodological, empirical, and how to expand future research in new ways to test this dynamic theory using intangible trace evidence, such as the cognitive attributes of management team members, including their entrepreneurial mindset and its impact on their strategic choices,” said Dr. Michalisin.

The pair discovered that senior management’s entrepreneurial nature impacts a team’s puzzle solving capabilities, specifically its identification of strategic choices available to them, the strategic choices they make, and the resultant impact on performance.

“In other words,” Dr. Michalisin says, “the entrepreneurial nature and drive of one senior management team will differ across firms and thus lead to different strategic choices and performance outcomes, which will change the business landscape and possible set of strategic choices and performance outcomes, and so on.”

Dr. Michalisin obtained his Ph.D. in strategic management and macro-organizational theory from Kent State University, an MBA in finance from Duquesne University, a B.S. in accounting from The Pennsylvania State University, and is a licensed certified public accountant. In addition to his academic experience he has worked in industry at Ernst and Young, LLP, Westinghouse, and Finalco Group, Inc.

His main research interests include the Resource-Based View of the Firm, Business and Environmental Sustainability, Top Management Team Dynamics, and Strategic Entrepreneurship, among others. He has published numerous journal articles, a book chapter, and presented numerous theoretical and empirical papers at top academic conferences.

The Penn State Worthington Scranton Chorale and Jazz Band directed by Sharon Ann Toman will present its Annual Spring Concert on Sunday, April 21 at 2 p.m. in the Gallagher Conference Center (GCC). The concert is free of charge. For further information, call 963-2696.

The WS Chorale consists of Worthington Scranton students, faculty and staff. The members of the WS Chorale are:

Ashley K.Angeli, Juliet Avery, Angela F. Capone, Brandi L. Chilson, Anthony R. Conforti , Shantelle Cuevas, Marielle B.Fabi Alyssa, Nico Fargione, Michael N.Gerakoui, Eileen Giovagnoli, Leland E.Greene IV, Sue Harper, Jeremy D.Huggins, Quinthus Y.Kemp Sr., Olivia J.Knox, Sarah M.Kocher, Jennifer M.Kokinda, Sandra A.Leeson, Destiny R.Longworth, Dominic J.Ludovici, Kara L.Macclean, Nathanael J.Macintire, Justin P. Malone, Janet Melnick, Stephen Pitino, Marissa A.Selemba, Toni M.Slack-Miller, Glenn S.Slick, Deb Smarkusky, Jennifer M.Smith, Sarah E.Snyder, Erik D.Stengline, Diana L.Stude, Nicole K.Tokash, Arrielle C.Torres, Erin G.Van Buren, Erin H.Walsh, and Corey Ware.

The WS Chorale will be singing a variety of tradition, pop, and Broadway choral songs.

The Roc[k]tet is a select group of singers from the WS Chorale consisting of: Angela Capone, Leland E. Greene IV, Quinthus Y. Kemp Sr., Nathanael J. Macintire, Justin P. Malone, Marissa A. Selemba, Jennifer M. Smith, and Arrielle C. Torres. The Roc[k]tet will be performing special musical selections including: Haven’t Met You Yet, Doin’ it A Cappella, and Lullaby of Broadway from the musical 42nd Street.

The WS Jazz Band consists of Worthington students and faculty: Janet Adams, Jorge Bonilla, Bryan C. Burns, Angela F. Capone, Nathaniel P. Carter, Paul J. Cimino, Matthew J. Deprimo, Michael Dorio, Nico Fargione, Kelly A. Frey, Jillian A. Grudzinski, , Dominic J. Ludovici, Kara L. Macclean, Jonathan S. Mall, Matthew T. Osborne, Tyler D. Osborne, Victoria E. Pettinato, , Jennifer M. Smith,

The Jazz Band will be performing a very exciting musical program that includes a variety of jazz, pop classics, rhythm and blues, big band, and contemporary music.

If you go…………

What: Penn State Worthington Scranton Jazz Band and Chorale Concert

Where: Gallagher Conference Center Building on the campus of Penn State Worthington Scranton

When: Sunday, April 21 at 2 p.m.

Details: Free of charge.

For more information: Call 963-2696

Nursing faculty and admissions personnel will be on hand to answer questions about Penn State's nursing degree programs, as well as help provide information on financial aid and the application process.

Walk-ins are welcome and anyone interested in attending the Nursing Information Session should let staff members know when they arrive.

For more information, or if you have any questions about the Spring Open House or Worthington Scranton's nursing program prior to Sunday's Open House, call 963-2500. 

Nursing instructor Michael Evans, MSN, MSEd,  RN, ACNS, CMSRN, CNE has received his certificate for online teaching through the University.

Penn State’s Certificate for Online Teaching is a professional development program to prepare for online teaching success. The online course series provides faculty an “online student experience” while exploring a rich variety of critical topics necessary for mastery in the online classroom.

“The Certificate for Online Teaching has given me the skills to teach effectively and confidently in the online environment,” Mr. Evans said. “The required courses provided me with the tools to meet the need's of today's learner in the online environment.”

Mr. Evans was also one of 23 Penn State faculty to participate in a 2012-13 pilot of the new technology application, Doceri, facilitated by the University’s Information Technology Services (ITS).

He used the Doceri application in one of his courses, Nursing 390: Transition and the Professional Nursing Role. “It allowed me to be more mobile and interactive in the classroom,” he said. “It allowed me to move around more in the classroom and highlight important items in my presentation.”

Attorney F. Charles Petrillo of Wilkes-Barre, and Dr. Philip Mosley, professor of English and comparative literature at Penn State Worthington Scranton will present and discuss three historic anthracite film productions on Friday, April 19 at King’s College.

Their presentation, “Documenting Anthracite on the Silver Screen” will take place in the Burke Auditorium, McGowan School of Business, King’s College, at 7 p.m. Refreshments will be served in the Postupack Room of the Business School at 6:30 p.m.

Petrillo and Mosley will show and discuss a group of historic anthracite films (silent and talkies) that document various aspects of coal mining in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The films were made between 1915 and 1965 and some have never been shown publicly. As a group they offer a unique perspective on an industry that brought thousands of immigrant workers to the area while creating great wealth for investors and laying the foundation for hundreds of anthracite communities. The films include:

1. The Price of Carelessness (circa 1915). Produced by The Edison Company for the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad, filmed at Truesdale Colliery, Nanticoke. (Silent)

2. The Mining and Preparation of Blue Coal (circa 1938). Produced by Jam Handy Organization for the Glen Alden Coal Co, filmed at the Huber Colliery, Ashley. (Sound)

3. The Miners’ Story (circa 1965). Produced by WCAU-TV, Philadelphia, Directed by Don Matticks, Narrated by Jack Palance. (Sound) This is a rare documentary.

Atty. Petrillo and Dr. Mosley have been researching and writing about anthracite culture and history for many years and recently discovered a treasure trove of anthracite-related productions. The program will last approximately two hours and will include a question-and-answer session.

The public is invited to attend the event free of charge. The evening is sponsored by the Anthracite Heritage Foundation in affiliation with King's College. For more information on the Foundation visit http://ahfdn.org/.

Dr. John Dolis, coordinator of International Programs and professor of English at Penn State Worthington Scranton, led a group of faculty and students on a trip to Prague, Czech Republic, for this year’s spring break trip.

Each year, during spring break, the campus runs an international trip as part of its participation in the University’s International Studies Programs, offering students an opportunity to visit a foreign country and experience another culture.

During the 2013 trip to Prague, students toured a variety of cultural sites such as Prague Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral, St. George's Basilica, The Franz Kafka Museum, the Jewish Cemetery, Museum and Synagogue, the Charles Bridge, Old Town Square, and Wenceslas Square.

The group also enjoyed frequenting the diverse shops, cafes, restaurants, and jazz venues throughout Prague.

Caressa Olivo Gearhart, academic advising manager and Division of Undergraduate Studies Programs Coordinator at Penn State Worthington Scranton, recently presented at the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) conference in New Brunswick, NJ.

The title of her presentation was, "From the Ground Up: Developing and Implementing and Effective Faculty Adviser Development Series."

"With enrollment units struggling, dwindling resources, and tighter budgets across the board, it is becoming increasingly clear that retention and student persistence is everyone's business,” Ms. Gearhart stated.

“There is an increased focus on the role of academic advising in retention, and specifically on providing effective academic advising. However, we must consider that effective academic advising requires development programs grounded in theory and best practices.”

During her session, Ms. Gearhart presented the theory grounding the advising development series, and information on the process of developing the Faculty Advising Development Series (FADS) at Penn State Worthington Scranton. Challenges and considerations were also addressed, including faculty buy-in and collaboration.

The goal was to give participants and attendees resources, tools, and action steps for developing and implementing and advisor development program.

NACADA is an association of professional advisors, counselors, faculty, administrators, and students working to enhance the educational development of students. It promotes and supports quality academic advising in institutions of higher education to enhance the educational development of students.

Michael Evans, MSN, MSEd,  RN, ACNS, CMSRN, CNE was one of 23 Penn State faculty to participate in a 2012-13 pilot of the new technology application, Doceri, facilitated by the University’s Information Technology Services (ITS).

Doceri is a professional iPad interactive whiteboard and screencast recorder with sophisticated tools for hand-drawn graphics and built-in remote desktop control.

Mr. Evans used the Doceri application in one of his courses, Nursing 390: Transition and the Professional Nursing Role. “It allowed me to be more mobile and interactive in the classroom,” he said. “It allowed me to move around more in the classroom and highlight important items in my presentation.”

Doceri allows instructors to walk throughout their classrooms and engage with students, while projecting a computer desktop, on which they can write and sketch using an iPad. It also allows instructors to import reusable images into the application, which can then be drawn on and annotated during class. After class, those images can be saved and exported as PDF files for further use.

Mr. Evans would definitely recommend Doceri to other faculty.  “Give it a try,” he said.  "I think that it is imperative that instructors continually evolve and integrate new technology into the classroom in order to meet the needs of today’s learner."

In addition to his participation in the Doceri pilot program, Mr. Evans also attended the Penn State Symposium for Teaching and Learning with Technology on March 16, and served as a panelist for the “Campus Perspectives on Doceri Use in the Classroom" presentation.

The Penn State Symposium for Teaching and Learning with Technology is both an annual one-day event and a year-round online discussion of ways that faculty are using technology to enhance teaching, learning, and research/

Averaging 22.3 points-per-game this season, it's no wonder Penn State Women's Basketball junior point-guard Jessica Segilia earned five separate top honors in the PSUAC ( Pennsylvania State University Athletic Conference) and the USCAA (United States Collegiate Athletic Association), including USCAA 1st Team All-American, the highest honor a Penn State Worthington Scranton player can receive today.

In the Penn State Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, the PSUAC, Jess was named 1st Team All-Conference, Academic-All Conference and Player of the Year after leading her team to it's first post-season play in Penn State Worthington Scranton Women's Basketball history. Shortly after the Human Development and Family Studies major earned herself USCAA Academic-All American for retaining over a 3.5 GPA throughout her season. Segilia, a Riverside graduate, will return to Penn State Scranton's line up next year for her senior season.

Segilia, Penn State Scranton's top award recipient this year, is joined by three Penn State Worthington Scranton cross-country runners, Diana Kloss, Amber Martin and Breanna Toolan, all of whom have also earned PSUAC All-Conference 1st Team. In addition, 30 Penn State Worthington Scranton varsity athletes earned the PSUAC Academic All-Conference Award for the Fall 2012 season, including Paola Andujar, Sarah Donald, Mollie Fenwick, Kara MacClean, Rupali Patel, Alyssa Strausser, Beth Yuschovitz, Mohammad Abdul, Akhmet Ashimov, Angelo Brutico, Justin Kurek, Levi Schmidt, Maor Tel-Tzur, Kayla Evanina, Diana Kloss, Sandra Leeson, Amber Martin, Brooke Reynolds, Toni Slack-Miller, Amanda Smith, Mike Bouselli, Shane Hart, Kade Kolheffer, and Banney Ley.

Eileen Giovagnoli, Learning Center Coordinator at Penn State Worthington Scranton, recently presented at the Pennsylvania-New Jersey Chapter of the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA) Spring Conference held at King’s College.

Her presentation, Study Skills in the Discipline: A Workshop Collaboration with Faculty in Math and Science, discussed the various methods and services used in a workshop conducted by Ms. Giovagnoli at Penn State Worthington Scranton’s Learning Center.

Of the students seeking tutoring assistance at Penn State Worthington Scranton’s Learning Center, approximately 65 percent of registrations are for math and science.

Ms. Giovagnoli discussed the study skills assistance provided to students in subjects in high demand for tutorial services; how she designed the workshop specifically for students studying  math and science; incorporated input from campus faculty and how study materials were prepared to study in a specific discipline.

She also conducted two surveys, one each for science and math, to determine which learning concepts would be most beneficial for students seeking help in each discipline.

The workshop and surveys provided Learning Center personnel with information regarding what student needs and demands were when studying math and science, and provided future direction and ideas to incorporate into tutoring programs and workshops moving forward to ensure continuing success for these students.

CRLA is an affiliate of the national CRLA organization which is dedicated to the academic support of college level students through tutoring and other areas of learning assistance.

Ms. Giovagnoli, a resident of Waverly, received her bachelor’s degree in sociology/social work from East Stroudsburg University and her Master’s of Social Work from the University of Georgia.

She has been with Penn State Worthington Scranton since 2009.

The Lackawann County commissioners presented a "Good Works in Lackawanna County" certificate of recognition to Penn State Worthington Scranton for its participation in the 2013 Penn State dance marathon, which raised $12.3 million for pediatric cancer research.

Students at the local campus raised over $6,800 and two students, Bev Martiin, of Susquehanna and Jennifer Smith, of Dunmore, danced in the annual 46-hour dance marathon last month.  Over 30 students and several staff members accompanied the dancers to University Park for the annual event, which was attended by over 50,000 people and is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world.

Attending the commissioners' meeting with students were Assistant Director of Student Programs and Unions Matt Nied and Director of Student Services Michelle Schutt.

Dr. Janet Melnick, senior instructor in Human Development and Family Studies and HDFS program coordinator at Penn State Worthington Scranton will be a featured presenter at the 2013 Northeastern Pennsylvania Annual Conference on Aging.

Dr. Melnick, MSW, LSW, will present, “Alternatives to Nursing Home Care,” with her colleague, Dr. Heather Shanks-McElroy, MSW, B.Ed., associate professor and coordinator of the Bachelor of Science in Teaching: Child and Society program at Keystone College.

Last year, the two educators received a Center for Rural Pennsylvania grant for their project, Home- and Community-Based Care Alternatives to Nursing Homes in Rural Pennsylvania.

Dr. Melnick was also a moderator for this year’s conference, which is being hosted by the University of Scranton and The Commonwealth Medical College. It is the third annual NEPA Conference on Aging, which provides a forum that educates practitioners, providers, academics, economists, and the community with numerous and diverse presentations. The conference promotes the view that healthy aging results from an integrated approach to caring for the elder.

Speakers and panelists are chosen from a variety of disciplines and elder-related professions, providing an opportunity to learn about best practices and new research findings. By facilitating collaboration between practitioners, health care institutions and academic centers, participants are able to interface academic findings with practical applications.

The Wallflower Press imprint of Columbia University Press has published THE CINEMA OF THE DARDENNE BROTHERS: RESPONSIBLE REALISM by Dr. Philip Mosley in its Director's Cuts series. Wallflower Press is a leading publisher of books on the cinema.

In conjunction with this publication, Dr. Mosley will introduce a screening of two films by the Belgian brothers, ROSETTA and THE SON, at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, on the afternoon of Saturday, March 2nd. This event also forms part of the DC Francophonie Festival 2013. A buffet dinner in honor of Dr. Mosley and this publication will be held in the evening courtesy of the Belgian Embassy.

The brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne have established an international reputation for their emotionally powerful realist cinema and have crafted a series of fiction films that blends acute observation of life on the social margins with moral fables for the postmodern age.

Dr. Mosley's volume analyzes the brothers' careers from their leftist video documentaries of the 1970s and 1980s through their debuts as directors of fiction films in the late 1980s and early 1990s to their six major achievements from The Promise (1996) to The Kid with a Bike (2011), an oeuvre that includes two Golden Palms at the Cannes Film Festival for Rosetta (1999) and The Child (2005).

It argues that the ethical dimension of the Dardennes' work complements, rather than precludes, their sustained expression of a fundamental political sensibility.

Dr. Mosley is a professor of English and comparative literature at Penn State Worthington Scranton. He is the author of several literature translations, including Bruges-la-Morte, by Georges Rodenbach; The Intelligence of Flowers, by Maurice Maeterlinck; October Long Sunday, by Guy Vaes; Tea Masters, Teahouses, by Werner Lambersy; and The Book of the Snow, by Francois Jaqmin, which was shortlisted for the 2011 Griffin Poetry Prize.  In 2008, he was awarded the Prix de la Traduction Litteraire by the French community of Belgium and is also the author of two other books on cinema: Ingmar Bergman: The Cinema as Mistress and Split Screen: Belgian Cinema and Cultural Identity.

Dr. Michael D. Michalisin, professor of management and business program coordinator at Penn State Worthington Scranton, and two co-authors, recently published an article in the Journal of Strategic Innovation and Sustainability.

“Measuring Pre-Adoptive Behaviors Toward Individual Willingness to Use IT Innovations”  examined key determinants of an individual’s willingness to use new technology prior to acquisition, according to the Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) Theory and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), in order to identify critical success factors that influence individuals’ willingness to use new information technologies.

The study was motivated by the cognitive barriers of individuals that reluctantly use new information technology that cost an organization millions of dollars, in an effort to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the firm, as well as the quality of resulting information underlying management decisions.

Interestingly, despite the importance of understanding what determines the acceptance of new systems, and ultimately the success of their implementation, empirical investigation into this inquiry is still in the developmental stages.

Dr. Michalisin and his co-authors specifically examined the extent to which perceptions of relative advantage, complexity and trialability of a new technology influence preadoptive attitudes, as well as what combination of these factors create the greatest individual willingness to use new technologies.

They predicted that individuals would be more willing to use new technology when they perceive it to be high in relative advantage, low in complexity (and therefore likely high in perceived ease of use), and high in trialability.

They also found that individuals may be more willing to use a new technology when complexity was low, regardless of its relative advantage. However, when complexity was high, the new technology had to offer some distinctive advantage to individuals before they were willing to use it.

They also found that when complexity was high, individuals were more willing to use the new technology when trialability was high. However, when complexity was low, individuals were equally willing to use the technology whether triability was high or low.

The implication is that when using new technology that is highly complex, it may be especially important to allow individuals the opportunity to try-out the technology before implementing it.

From academics, the analysis suggests that synthesizing perceived usefulness with relative advantage and perceived ease of use with complexity allows us to better understand the interplay between the TAM and DOI Theories as to the key factors influencing individual acceptance of new technologies before they are adopted by the firm.

This helps managers better assess the likelihood of employees using new information technology prior to investing large sums of the firm’s capital in such technologies. Otherwise the technology is not optimally utilized due to factors deemed unsavory by the end users of the technology.

Organizational change agents can tailor IT demonstrations, training programs, and other interventions that illustrate the positive criteria to end users prior to making adoption decisions, which, in turn, increases the success of implementing critical IT acquisitions.