News about College Store

Before May’s Big Event, a ‘Finale’ to Pave the Way

With three Spring Commencement exercises just around the corner, the Bush Campus Center was the place to be.

Surrounded by diploma frames and other commemorative items, Jessica L. Laubach, textbook operations assistant, rings up another sale.

Soon-to-be-grads check out the selection of class rings.

Doing brisk business in caps and gowns is Lisa M. Dincher, the store's operations manager.

The College Store turned Penn’s Inn into a commencement-focused shopping mall on Tuesday afternoon, hosting a Grad Finale for students on the verge of May graduation. Prizes, food, caps and gowns, and tickets to the May 19-20 Community Arts Center ceremonies were among the attractions at the event, held from noon-4 p.m.
Photos by Tia G. La, student photographer

One-Stop ‘Finale’ Moves Tomorrow’s Grads One Step Closer

Becky J. Shaner, manager of student/alumni engagement and special events, captures a mascot moment for Lindsey Martin, advertising art.

A line of winter graduates snakes across the Penn’s Inn floor.

Sugary blue sprinkles put the "sweet" into near-grads' 'bittersweet" departure.

Jaclyn C. Gregg, culinary arts and systems, high-fives the congratulatory commencement 'cat.

Chesnya I. Cherelus, nursing, snaps a cell phone photo as she and soon-to-be graduates make their way into the Grad Finale venue.

A number of campus offices threw a party Tuesday for students on track to graduate next month, handily helping them check off their commencement to-do list. The early-afternoon Grad Finale (which featured accommodating staff from Alumni Relations, Career Services, Financial Aid, Registrar, The College Store and Workforce Development & Continuing Education) was held in the Bush Campus Center. From 12:30-2:30 p.m., petitioned students could pick up their commencement tickets, purchase caps and gowns, and learn more about their Alumni Association benefits – all in one handy location. Penn College’s winter ceremony is at 11 a.m. Dec. 17 in the Community Arts Center.

Donated Pink Gowns Help Focus Attention on Breast Cancer

Dental hygiene students, colorfully cloaked as special agents for awareness

Students completing rounds in the Dental Hygiene Clinic showed their support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month by donning pink gowns during the week of Oct. 10. The gowns were donated by Matt P. Branca, director of The College Store. Other Breast Cancer Awareness-related activities have included a bake sale hosted by College Health Services and Sigma Pi, informational tables in the Bush Campus Center and at the Madigan Library Reference Desk, and a Wear Pink Day for employees on Oct. 7.

College Store’s Public Face Captured in Private Moment

Team "Uncle" Marlin R. Cromley reassures Japan's Rio Inoue after the team's 2-1 loss to Curacao on Saturday.

Penn College employee Marlin R. Cromley, renewing his longtime August commitment as a team “uncle” at the Little League Baseball World Series, is featured in a photograph posted to Major League Baseball’s website over the weekend. The photo by Alex Trautwig encapsulates – beautifully, genuinely and emotionally – a Japan player’s tears and torment and his host’s offer of solace and support. As a cashier/customer service associate in The College Store, Cromley is accustomed to diplomatically dealing with students and other members of the public from his front-end cash register. In more than a decade at the Series, Cromley said, he feels fortunate and humbled to also see a more personal side of life. “Moments like that just happen,” he explained. “They’re kids. Outside the (International) Grove and on the field, everyone expects the best out of them. We’re privileged that they let us see them at their most tender moments, too, when they’re sometimes at their lowest, and we just try to console them the best we can.”

SGA ‘Silent Auction’ Benefits Student Scholarship Funds

Bidders assess the items on the Madigan Library auction block ...

... including a papier-mache elephant (and two winged pigs elsewhere up for sale) crafted by Dennis R. Dorward, associate professor of construction management/building construction ...

... a table donated by retiree (and accomplished woodworker) Barry R. Stiger ...

... Penn College Pride bags from the President's Office ...

... and a "chef-created dinner for two" to be prepared by Dining Services' Christopher R. Grove and donated by Grove (an alumnus) and Allison A. Bressler, assistant director of student activities for programming and Greek life

With a boost from ticket sales for a Snap-on toolbox raffle, Friday’s Student Government Association Silent Auction raised $4,127 toward the Student Leader Legacy Scholarship. The total – benefiting from the 63 campus and community bidders vying for items and services donated by more than 50 employees, students, alumni and friends of the college – is a considerable increase over the approximate $2,300 raised last year. Two toolboxes were given away during the event in the Madigan Library, with $2,660 in proceeds split between The College Store Scholarship Fund and the SGA Leader Legacy Scholarship Fund (awarded by SGA each year to Penn College students who display exemplary leadership). The tool chests were won by Terry San Angelo, of Quakertown, whose son, Drew, will be a freshman in Fall 2017, and Tanya Berfield, manager of College Transitions.

Near-Grads Find One-Stop Convenience at Outdoor ‘Finale’

A long line forms even before the start of Grad Finale. First and second in line (at right) are building automation technology seniors and Campus View Resident Assistants Cody A. Forke, of Gilbertsville, and Christopher J. Morrin, of Morrisville. Forke has a degree in electrical technology (’14) and Morrin graduated from heating, ventilation and air conditioning technology in 2015.

A new item available in The College Store: a "Penn College Grad” baseball cap with "2016" on the back!

Nathaniel E. Brown, a business administration: management concentration senior from Philadelphia, diligently fills out a poster overflowing with thanks to his many supporters.

Warding off the morning chill by the Bush Campus Center fire pit is Hamad H. Almarri, a student from Saudi Arabia anticipating his degree in heating, ventilation and air conditioning design technology.

A mother-and-son graduating duo from Williamsport: Adam M. Bailey, information technology: web applications development concentration, and Wendy J. Gee, health information technology, start their celebrations early!

Soon-to-depart students with questions about commencement and postgraduate life – everything from the life span of student email to tickets for their big day to student loans – checked off their to-do list at Tuesday’s Grad Finale on the Bush Campus Center patio. Staff from Alumni Relations, Career Services, Financial Aid, Registrar, The College Store and Workforce Development & Continuing Education were available for the convenience of petitioned students, who could pick up commencement tickets, purchase caps and gowns, and learn more about alumni benefits at one handy location.

‘Wildcat Rewards’ Being Discontinued

The College Store will discontinue its Wildcat Rewards Loyalty Program effective May 31.  The store will offer more storewide promotions and other sales so that more students have the opportunity to save money on purchases. “The program has been popular with some students, but most students never trade in their points for College Store gift cards,” said Matt Branca, director of The College Store. By discontinuing the program, Branca said that store will be able to offer more discounts and sales on other merchandise.  The store recently started one-day-only “Flash Sales” that are announced via The College Store Facebook page and on the myPCT Portal the morning of the sale. Those have proved quite popular with the campus community. While the Wildcat Rewards Program is ending May 31, students will continue to earn points through May 27.  Students have until the end of the day May 31 to trade in any points for a College Store gift card.  College Store gift cards do not expire, so students should make sure and cash in those points before they expire: 500 points earns a $25 College Store gift card and 900 points earns a $50 gift card.  All points will expire and access to the program will be turned off on June 1. Students should log in to their Wildcat Rewards account via The College Store web site.  Instructions can be found on the store’s Portal page.

College Store Kicks Off Exhibition of Instructors’ Artwork

Instructor's stained glass displayed in store window

A collection of faculty member Keith M. Whitesel’s stained glass is on display in The College Store during February, the first in a series of mini-galleries featuring artists who teach noncredit classes at Penn College. An instructor of electrical technology/occupations in the School of Industrial, Computing & Engineering Technologies, Whitesel is teaching Stained Glass for Beginners through Workforce Development & Continuing Education starting Feb. 22. A second class, Stained Glass: Level II, will begin April 11. Stop by The College Store to see his beautiful works of art as they glimmer in the sun – and revisit throughout the year as other media (photography, jewelry, etc.) are exhibited. (The pieces of art are not for sale.)

Baier Latest ‘Student of the Month’ at Penn College

Kendel F. Baier

Kendel F. Baier, of Jersey Shore, a senior in the building science and sustainable design: architectural technology concentration, has been chosen as the December/January Student of the Month at Pennsylvania College of Technology.

Exemplifying both academics and athletics, Baier maintains a full course load and is a national bowhunter champion on the Penn College archery team.

Among her accomplishments, she was selected as the college’s 2014 Female Athlete of the Year.

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From Garb to Grub, ‘Finale’ Has Imminent Grads Covered

Displaying one of the hottest ensembles of the season

All smiles at The College Store's traveling register is Jaret C. Brumbach, of Boyertown. Graduating with an associate degree in building construction technology, he already has a job lined up with J.R. Wegman Construction, of Douglassville.

Soon-to-be-alumni enjoy the convenience of tackling pre-commencement tasks in one locale.

Tammy M. Rich, director of alumni relations (background) , and Becky J. Shaner, alumni relations specialist, check in future alums.

The school-by-school lineup for Penn College's May 16-17 commencement ceremonies

Nearly 450 students who have petitioned to graduate in one of May’s three commencement ceremonies breezed through their last-minute chores at Monday’s Grad Finale. Held from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. in Penn’s Inn, near-alumni could snag their Community Arts Center tickets for the big day; buy their caps and gowns; order announcements; learn about their alumni benefits, such as career services, scholarship opportunities, campus privileges and their lifetime Penn College e-mail accounts; and enjoy free food and other giveaways.
Photos by Marc T. Kaylor, student photographer, and Becky J. Shaner (center image)

Disguises Can’t Mask College Store’s Customer Service

"Happy Halloween" from The College Store!

With a variety of costumes ranging from police officer to leprechaun – and including a few denizens of “Duck Dynasty,” arguably the most frightening Halloween presence of all! – The College Store staff (including two current students) showed its typical willingness to do whatever to takes to chase away any rainy-day blues. From left are first-year student Alyssa L. Fink, employee Lisa A. Ely, junior Kendel F. Baier, and employees Jennifer L. McCracken, Joan M. Gilbert, Lisa M. Dincher, Colleen K. Hauser, Gale I. Grove and Alex J. Kuzio.
Photo by Matt P. Branca, store director

Latest College Book Relives 100 Years of ‘Marketing With a Mission’

“Marketing With a Mission” is the latest book in Penn College’s Centennial series.

The third volume in Pennsylvania College of Technology’s Countdown to the Centennial series, an abundantly illustrated book that employs a variety of promotional images to chronicle the transformation from Williamsport Technical Institute into Pennsylvania’s premier technical college, has been published.

Like other titles in the series, “Marketing With a Mission” was written by Elaine J. Lambert, director of college information and community relations, who drew upon her decades of experience and pulled from a rich archival reservoir to take readers on a memory-laden trip from WTI to Williamsport Area Community College to Penn College.

“I have been involved in promoting the college for more than 30 years,” said Lambert, a 1979 WACC graduate and a 2007 recipient of the college’s Distinguished Alumni Award. “Still, in writing this book, I found a few surprises and many forgotten successes in recounting a century’s worth of stories about the institution’s unique mission and dramatic marketing challenges.”

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Centennial Merchandise on Sale at College Store

Centennial merchandise arrives at The College Store!

It’s a sale that only happens every 100 years! An exclusive selection of centennial items is now available at The College Store. Penn College, Williamsport Area Community College and Williamsport Technical Institute merchandise – from T-shirts (long- and short-sleeve) to hoodies, polos to hats – is available in each school’s “retro” colors. “We wanted to help celebrate the centennial and our history in a way that acknowledged all of the institutions,” said Matt Branca, director of The College Store, who, with operations assistant Jennifer L. McCracken, worked with multiple vendors and other departments to put together the limited-edition line. Each college’s seal was specially recreated for incorporation into many of the designs, and custom centennial labels  make each piece of apparel a true collector’s item. A variety of other items, such as pins, coffee mugs, window clings and water bottles, are also available at The College Store.

‘Finale’ Helps Near-Graduates Tackle Commencement To-Do List

The Wildcat welcomes soon-to-be graduates to their new roles as Penn College alumni.

Jonathan C. Herman, a heavy construction equipment technology: operator emphasis major from Lewisburg, tends to commencement purchases with the help of Jennifer L. McCracken, an operations assistant at The College Store.

With the Wildcat's help, Eric M. Stahl, a civil engineering technology student from Muncy, tries out a graduation cap.

Erin S. Shultz, coordinator of career development, advises Kyle J. Didyoung, of Temple, a computer aided drafting technology major, on all of the benefits Career Services provides to alumni.

The Wildcat makes new friends of collision repair technology students Christopher A. Ives, of Meshoppen, left, and Daniel F. Hill, of Wellsboro.

The traditional Grad Finale, a one-stop opportunity for Penn College students to breeze through their 11th-hour pre-commencement chores, was held from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday in Penn’s Inn. Staff from Alumni Relations, The College Store and Career Services were among those on hand to assist the imminent graduates with commencement tickets, cap-and-gown purchases, graduation invitations, alumni benefits … and much, much more.

College’s Centennial ‘Legacy of Leaders’ Book Available for Purchase

"Legacy of Leaders" book published

Pennsylvania College of Technology has published a book and website featuring the seven individuals who guided the institution through its nearly 100-year history – from George H. Parkes, who transformed a small, high school industrial arts shop into a postwar model of adult education, to current President Davie Jane Gilmour.

“Legacy of Leaders” also features Robert L. Breuder, who oversaw the transformative 1989 birth of Penn College as a respected affiliate of The Pennsylvania State University; William H. Feddersen, former Williamsport Area Community College president; Kenneth E. Carl, founding president of WACC and a graduate of Williamsport Technical Institute, and interim leaders C. Herschel Jones and David M. Heiney.

Stories from distinguished faculty, staff, alumni and student leaders are also included in this second of four publications planned to celebrate the institution’s 2014 Centennial, marking the 100th anniversary of the first year that adult classes were held in Klump Academic Center.

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