News about Sciences, Humanities & Visual Communications

Art à la Carte

Handcrafted ceramic bowls to grace fundraising table.

Got soup?

Truthful labeling awaits nourishing ladling.

Chef Frank M. Suchwala (in blue cap) stirs a pot of mushroom bisque as student Nolan S. Lester (left) adds stock. Others involved include (from left) Amaris T. Smith, Dylan H. Therrien, William D. Benedetto and Austin B. Ovens.

Penn College students are again lending a helping hand to the Williamsport Soup & a Bowl event benefiting the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank. About 120 bowls crafted by students in Ceramics 1 classes will be filled with soup created by students in the culinary arts and systems major. This year’s fundraiser will be Friday, March 2, at The Genetti Hotel and Suites in downtown Williamsport. Three seatings (11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.) and takeout orders are offered; the 11 a.m. seating is sold out. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the food bank’s Williamsport office at 570-321-8023. The bowls were produced in classes taught by husband-and-wife duo David A. and Deborah L. Stabley, members of the college’s art faculty. This is the sixth year the college has donated bowls. Students in the Technical Training for Hospitality Industry course made about 25 gallons of soup for the event, stirring up Cajun vegetarian and mushroom bisque under the guidance of Chefs Todd M. Keeley and Frank M. Suchwala, members of the hospitality faculty. And, while the soup was simmering, the instructors discussed community service and outreach with their students. “We want to be a positive force in the community,” Suchwala said. Students in the culinary class are William D. Benedetto, of Howard; Bridget M. Callahan, of Pottsville; Eliza B. Cook, of Towanda; Nolan S. Lester, of Perkiomenville; Austin B. Ovens, of Elizabethtown; Amaris T. Smith, of Williamsport; and Dylan H. Therrien, of Reading.

Free Screening of Award-Winning Documentary Scheduled

"Thank You for Your Service"

The failure of U.S. military mental health policy to address the needs of veterans is the focus of an acclaimed documentary to be screened at the Community Arts Center.

“Thank You for Your Service” will be shown on Wednesday, March 21, at 7 p.m. at the Arts Center, 220 W. Fourth St., Williamsport. Doors will open at 6 p.m. A reception – offering conversation, food, support and services for veterans – will follow the movie. Tom Donahue, the documentary’s director, is scheduled to attend.

The free event is presented by Pennsylvania College of Technology, Lycoming College and the Community Arts Center.

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Learning Center Helps Families Become Kindergarten-Ready

Pennsylvania College of Technology’s Dunham Children’s Learning Center hosted an information session Thursday for families whose children will enter kindergarten in August.

Barbara J. Albert, director, and Linda S. Dellaquila, group leader, shared tips for making a smooth transition and provided families with the dates and registration requirements of all school districts in Lycoming County.

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Penn College Course to Help Prepare Students for SATs

Bruce A. Wehler, assistant professor of English-composition at Penn College – shown during a 2017 session – will again be among the instructors for a series of SAT Preparation classes beginning in March.

Workforce Development & Continuing Education at Pennsylvania College of Technology is offering a course to help high school students better prepare for the standardized test used as an admissions tool by many institutions of higher learning.

The course will guide students toward success on the SAT through live instruction, self-paced learning and individual interaction with a professional instructor. The focus will be on math, English and reading, with an optional writing session available for those who wish to review and practice their college-ready skills with a Penn College faculty member.

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Penn College to Again Make Impression on Farm Show Attendees

Students in Penn College’s hospitality majors join their instructor, Chef Michael J. Ditchfield, on the Culinary Connection stage at the Pennsylvania Farm Show last January.

Hundreds of thousands of visitors will soon flock to the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center to celebrate the commonwealth’s leading industry, and Pennsylvania College of Technology students and employees will be on hand for an interactive peek into the real-world applications of “degrees that work.”

“A beloved tradition of Penn College, the Pennsylvania Farm Show continues to be the highlight of the new year. During the weeklong festivities, members of Admissions, Alumni Relations and Academic Affairs bring Penn College to Harrisburg and showcase all of the amazing opportunities that await students on campus,” said Claire Z. Biggs, coordinator of admissions events and services. “Through our interactive and hands-on activities, we hope that friends of the college will come to learn what makes applied technology education so special.”

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State’s ‘Teacher of the Year’ Has Penn College Connection

Jennifer R. Wahl, a Loyalsock Township High School instructor and part-time faculty member at Penn College, accepts Teacher of the Year honors in Hershey.

Jennifer R. Wahl, a world history and psychology teacher at Loyalsock Township High School, has been named the Pennsylvania 2018 Teacher of the Year. Wahl, who is also an adjunct faculty member at Pennsylvania College of Technology, teaching psychology and sociology classes, received the honor on Monday during the Department of Education’s annual professional development conference.

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Working Their Way Through College

Students band in Bookmarks Café to finalize projects and cram for finals.

Crosby presents in Penn's Inn.

With holiday lights twinkling in the background, students settle in at Madigan Library – fortified with snacks and other long-haul survival provisions.

The end-of-semester crush is here, and campus is bustling with activities from presentations and projects to finals. Among the many senior capstones presented in recent days was one by Gaven D. Crosby, of Benton. Crosby and seven other seniors in Penn College’s emergency management technology major were charged with applying classroom concepts and best practices to develop a program or research paper that solves an issue or problem in the field. Crosby interned with the Army National Guard Homeland Response Force and collected data to determine the adaptability of the Department of Defense’s chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear response to non-CBRN disasters. Of course, the grand finale of the semester will be Fall Commencement, set for Saturday, Dec. 16.

Thirteen Students Selected for Penn College NOW Scholarships

Penn College presented scholarships to 13 first-year students who took Penn College NOW courses. From left are Tavor T. Wadsworth, of Williamsport; Vincent R. Keene, of Downingtown; Kayley E. Johnson, of Bloomsburg; Monica A. McCarty, Penn College’s dual enrollment specialist; Michael L. Gardner, of Williamsport; Warren E. Knipe, of Liberty; and Tanya Berfield, the college’s manager of college transitions. Additional recipients not in the photo are: Cheyenne N. Greene, of Jersey Shore; Deontae Z. Johnson, of Selinsgrove; Kylee E. Kelley, of Lock Haven; Tyler W. Miller, of Montgomery; Luke B. Walter, of Millmont; Brittany M. Weiskopff, of Blossburg; Clayton T. Welch, of Benton; and Jeremy M. Wolfgang, of Allenwood.

Pennsylvania College of Technology recently recognized 13 first-year students who received Penn College NOW scholarships.

The recipients completed Penn College courses during high school as part of the college’s Penn College NOW dual-enrollment program. The group was honored during an Oct. 27 reception.

To be eligible, students must have successfully completed at least one Penn College NOW course, have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in Penn College NOW classes, enroll in Penn College as a full-time freshman student for the fall semester after high school graduation, and maintain a 2.5 GPA at Penn College as an enrolled student.

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Last updated December 5, 2017 | Posted in Accounting & Finance, Art and Graphic Design, Automotive, Baking, Pastry & Culinary Arts, Building Construction, Business & Hospitality, College Transitions, Construction & Design Technologies, Dental Hygiene, Electrical, Electronics & Computer Engineering Technology, Emergency Management, Engineering Design Technology, Health Sciences, Industrial, Computing & Engineering Technologies, Nursing, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Sciences, Humanities & Visual Communications, Students, Transportation & Natural Resources Technologies, Welding |

Penn College’s Cup Runneth Over

Reed and Strickland pass the Community Cup to the college president …

... who showcased it in her office reception area.

A ceramic sign of hard work and athletic energy, the Community Cup was presented to Penn College President Davie Jane Gilmour on Tuesday morning by Michael J. Reed, dean of sciences, humanities and visual communications, and Carolyn R. Strickland, vice president for enrollment management/associate provost. Penn College captured the Community Cup earlier this month at the Community Challenge, a trail race supporting the Salvation Army of Williamsport. The event, featuring three runs – 5K, 10K and half-marathon courses – attracted considerable support from students, staff and faculty, as well as members of the extended college family. The Community Cup is a traveling trophy; the current chalice was crafted by Penn College’s own David A. Stabley, a ceramics and wood sculpture instructor.

Collaboration Crafts Logo for Penn College Brewing Major

Bubbles rising in a fermentation tank are featured in the logo, a melding of science and art.

A collaboration of art and science has crafted a logo for the new brewing and fermentation science degree at Pennsylvania College of Technology.

The logo, designed by Morgan N. Keyser, of Dillsburg, a 2017 graduate of the college’s graphic design major, is being used on various materials, including glassware promoting the brewing and fermentation science associate degree major that launched for the Fall 2017 semester.

“I thought this was a great example of interdepartmental program synergy,” said Timothy L. Yarrington, instructor of brewing and fermentation science. “Branding can be the key to success in the brewing industry.”

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A Year-End Reminder of Year-’round Blessings

Dining Services' Daniel S. Falzone enjoys the festivities with daughters Julianna and Maria.

Ameira Phipps, big sister to Amecca Phipps, has an equally big smile!

Three generations celebrate the season at a decidedly family-friendly event. "Mimi" Janice and "Pappy" Robert Murphy, visiting from Pittsburgh, join their granddaughters, Macy (foreground) and Maura, and daughter-in-law Ashley R. Murphy, director of admissions.

Jointly exercising their creative side are Zaeed Minor and his mother, Shaunice M. Douglas, a pre-nursing student.

Families celebrated the end of the fall semester with the children and staff of the Dunham Children’s Learning Center this past week. Not only were there delicious snacks prepared by the children, there were craft activities for the youngsters to do with their parents.  Students from Penn College’s early childhood education major provided assistance.
Photos by Tia G. La, student photographer

Challenge Accepted! College Wins Community Cup, Helps Raise $17,000 for Salvation Army

An aerial view shows runners bundled up and starting out.

The Salvation Army of Williamsport will receive about $17,000 to be used for essential services to local families, thanks to Saturday’s Community Challenge.

Pennsylvania College of Technology’s commitment to the event resulted in the college winning the Community Cup, a traveling trophy presented to the organization with the greatest participation. Penn College logged 30 registered guests and 22 volunteers, including students enrolled in the Community and Organizational Change course and a number of student-athletes. The Penn College cross-country team served as an event sponsor.

“The volunteers from the human services program and athletics were incredible and helped to make a very special event,” said Michael J. Reed, dean of sciences, humanities and visual communications, who serves as vice chairman of the local Salvation Army Board of Directors.

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Faculty Pitch Health Careers at Regional ‘Awareness Day’

Wellsboro students learn about dental hygiene careers, straight from the mannequin's mouth.

Justin M. Ingram uses brains to make students mindful of their vocational options.

Shawn A. Kiser, Penn College’s director of dental hygiene, and Justin M. Ingram, assistant professor of biology, collaborated to provide hands-on recruitment at the 2017 Tioga County Health Career Awareness Day. The event was held Nov. 8 at Wellsboro Area High School. Ingram provided an overview on the human brain; Kiser provided the opportunity for students to “clean” a mannequin’s teeth and place dental sealants. The event attracted about 150 area high school students.
Photos provided

Penn College Emergency Management Interns Help Communities

Penn College emergency management technology students, including Autumn M. Devine (foreground), of Mars, engage in a disaster response exercise at the Emergency Operations Center in Williamsport.

Twelve students enrolled in emergency management technology at Pennsylvania College of Technology recently applied their skills during rewarding internships in Pennsylvania and New York.

The internships supplement the hands-on education the students receive in the classroom and at community-based training exercises.

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Faculty Retiree to Be Among ‘First Friday’ Exhibitors

Patrick Murphy's "Curly” (Caran d’ache on Strathmore, 16 inches by 25 inches)

Patrick Murphy, who retired in 2009-10 as an associate professor of advertising art, will be among the featured artists during downtown Williamsport’s November First Friday. “Time and Recollection,” showcasing Murphy’s artwork, will open at 6 p.m. Nov. 3 at Gallery 425, 425 Market St. Murphy earned a master’s degree from Parsons School of Design/Bank Street College of Education in New York City, and holds a bachelor’s degree from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre. He served as an adjunct faculty member at Luzerne County Community College and worked as a freelance illustrator and technical illustrator for 10 years. He joined the Penn College faculty in 1979 and received Master Teacher honors (the college’s highest faculty award) in 1989.

Pennsylvania College of Technology is a special mission affiliate of The Pennsylvania State University