Local businesses can learn about creating and marketing a brand – and get to know Penn College in the process – during a virtual workshop at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9. First in a planned series of community events covering a variety of topics, the session features Tammy M. Rich, associate professor of business administration/management/event management, and several of her students. More information, including a registration form, is available through the college’s Admissions Office.
News about Business & Hospitality Management
Green industry group honors three Penn College students
A trio of Pennsylvania College of Technology students have each received $5,000 scholarships from the Pennsylvania Landscape and Nursery Association Foundation, which annually recognizes outstanding achievement at institutions offering degrees in horticulture, nursery production, landscape contracting or related fields.
Awarded three of the foundation’s four 2020-21 scholarships were Nick Bianchi, of Archbald, landscape/horticulture technology: landscape emphasis; Rebecca Cornish, of Lewisburg, dual-majoring in business administration: management concentration and landscape/horticulture technology: plant production emphasis; and Erick V. Kennedy, of Williamsport, landscape/horticulture technology: plant production emphasis.
Eight students gain state certification in pesticide application
Eight Pennsylvania College of Technology students have passed the state Department of Agriculture’s Pennsylvania Pesticide Applicator Certification exam, administered in November at the Schneebeli Earth Science Center.
Grad’s ‘wild journey’ takes award-winning turn
A Pennsylvania College of Technology graduate helped to lead a high-profile metro Washington construction project that recently received honors from Associated Builders and Contractors.
Jordan Way, ‘16, was the assistant project manager for Belfast Valley Contractors Inc. as the company completed concrete work on the seven-story Hyatt Place luxury hotel on the waterfront in National Harbor, Maryland. Way holds an associate degree in building construction technology: masonry emphasis, and a bachelor’s degree in applied management.
Active-duty grad awarded funds toward master’s completion
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Mark J. Bowling, a 2015 Pennsylvania College of Technology graduate, was recently awarded a $2,500 scholarship from the Association of the Army for use toward completing a master’s degree in engineering management.
Bowling, who earned a bachelor’s degree in technology management from Penn College, is on active duty supporting the Army Reserves (known as Active/Guard Reserve). He is assigned to the Department of Public Works of the 99th Readiness Division. The 99th DPW, located at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey, is responsible for all Army Reserve facilities in the 13-state region from Virginia to Maine. For his first three years with the 99th DPW, he served as the deputy chief of operations, helping to manage and maintain 600 facilities spread across 300 sites and to execute a $40 million annual maintenance and repair budget.
Penn College announces cake competition winners
Winners have been named in Pennsylvania College of Technology’s annual wedding cake competition, with first-place honors awarded to a baking and pastry arts student from Macungie.
Students help 120 taxpayers file returns through VITA service
Despite a shortened window of opportunity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 15 Pennsylvania College of Technology student volunteers helped taxpayers file 120 2019 tax returns through the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.
The free service, known as VITA, is designed to help taxpayers who have relatively uncomplicated income tax returns to prepare their returns and file electronically.
Memorial service pending for ‘Master Teacher’ Irwin H. Siegel
A memorial service will be scheduled for Irwin H. Siegel, 2005 recipient of Penn College’s Master Teacher Award and a retired professor of business administration/business law, who died Sunday, April 12, at age 66. Siegel, a faculty member from 1998 through the 2007-08 academic year, also was honored with an Excellence in Teaching Award in 2001. He received a doctorate in adult education from Penn State University, a master of laws degree from Widener University School of Law, a law degree from Dickinson School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in English from Lebanon Valley College. Prior to joining the faculty, he was engaged in general law practice and as in-house counsel for financial institutions. A full obituary has been published in several newspapers, including The (Harrisburg) Patriot-News and his hometown Lebanon Daily News.
Food bank benefit again nourished by campus involvement
Pennsylvania College of Technology students and instructors will again add their talents to the offerings at a popular fundraiser designed to help feed the hungry in our community.
Course teaches students about food sustainability, security
In a bright, clean kitchen across town from their usual classrooms and laboratories, students majoring in culinary arts and other fields at Pennsylvania College of Technology learn more about food security, one of many considerations students discover as they explore the topic of food “sustainability.”
Food Sustainability is a course designed for students in the college’s hospitality majors, but available to anyone.
“Sustainable foods are grown or raised naturally,” explained student Janelle R. Becker, of Fort Loudon, who is pursuing a degree in culinary arts. “They are not only renewable but regenerative: They help the environment. It is important to not only help people, but also the earth, to make sure we always have the resources available that we have now.”
Penn College announces winners of annual Food Show
Pennsylvania College of Technology recently named the winners in its annual Food Show, during which students showcased final projects for the fall semester for judges and visitors from seven secondary schools.
Taking home the Chef Eugene Mattucci Best of Show Award was a three-student team that produced a “Fiesta!” cold platter and charcuterie board display. The piece was their final project for the Advanced Garde Manger course and included a chopped fiesta quinoa salad; haymarket pate en croute with ground pork, pork belly, veal shoulder, and Mexican herbs and spices; apricot and green chile chutney; Monterey Jack cheese; and smoked duck ham.
Business alumnus honored at Penn College commencement
A business administration alumnus leading a successful career in government relations received the Distinguished Alumni Award at Pennsylvania College of Technology’s Fall 2019 commencement ceremonies, held Dec. 21 at the Community Arts Center, Williamsport.
Clinton M. Cullison, a 2004 magna cum laude graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration: marketing concentration, is a senior associate with Greenlee Partners, a Harrisburg-based lobbying and government affairs firm.
Longstanding project, long-lasting legacy





Over 500 students and more than 500 ceramic tiles in the making, another stunning example of Penn College art is complete and ready for rave reviews and views. Adorning a wall in the north stairwell of the Bush Campus Center, the ceramics sensation was started in Fall 2013 by David A. Stabley, instructor of ceramics and wood sculpture, after he received permission from administration. “It was my idea to have students make something to leave behind as part of a permanent art piece,” Stabley said. “It’s an interesting idea of working on a group project over such a long period of time. And it’s nice to decorate a plain stairwell area to give it some life!” With the help of two Ceramics III students – Amber Kreitzer, of Port Trevorton, and Natascha G. Santaella, of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico – Stabley recently placed the finishing touches on the CC stairwell project: ceramic triangles topping the tile wall. Kreitzer and Santaella earned associate degrees in baking and pastry arts in 2018 and will graduate this month with Bachelor of Science degrees in applied management. Stabley and smaller groups of students have installed the Centennial Mosaic on a wall of the Physician Assistant Center and mosaics in Capitol Eatery. The artist has also crafted solo mosaics in the atrium of the Breuder Advanced Technology & Health Sciences Center and on an exterior wall of the Hager Lifelong Education Center. Stabley’s inspiring artwork can also be found in downtown Williamsport.
Students prepare food for benefit Oktoberfest

Students in the Regional American Cuisine course, taught by Chef Michael J. Ditchfield, instructor of hospitality management/culinary arts, produced authentic German Oktoberfest food for the Millheim Oktoberfest, a community event that benefits the Millheim Fire Co. In the course, students study cuisines, preparations and influential culinary leaders from various regions. They prepare regional recipes using traditional and modern kitchen techniques.
Photo provided
Students get behind-the-scenes look at sports management
Fifteen Pennsylvania College of Technology business students learned about marketing efforts behind televised athletics events when they were hired by a marketing firm to help distribute noisemakers at the third MLB Little League Classic, played at historic Bowman Field at BB&T Ballpark, just a few blocks from campus.
Under the direction of California-based firm USA Marketing and Major League Baseball, the students – joined by eight students from nearby Lycoming College – moved throughout the stands at the Aug. 18 game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs.
“Our task was to hand out noisemakers – thundersticks and mini drums,” said John J. Shadle, of Williamsport, who is enrolled in business administration: marketing concentration. “Our target audience was the youth in the crowd. The goal was to enhance the experience for the youth and the players. We brought the excitement in a noisy fashion.”