News about Students

The symbiotic relationship between Penn State and Pennsylvania College of Technology was front and center on Oct. 4, as the new presidents of both institutions underscored their shared mission during a visit in Williamsport.

President Michael J. Reed welcomed Penn State’s Neeli Bendapudi for a daylong tour of Penn College’s main campus that coincided with the Fall Career Fair and included informal interaction with students, faculty/staff and community leaders/industry partners.

“You clearly have leaders who get it, you really do. You clearly have a team that really enjoys working together. That’s very, very critical,” Bendapudi told college employees during one of her afternoon get-acquainted sessions. “And I love the vision of your president, who said, ‘We are here to put our students in the most competitive position possible for a successful career.’”

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Students from all of Penn State’s Commonwealth Campuses, as well as Pennsylvania College of Technology and other special mission affiliates, were recognized during All-University Day at Beaver Stadium on Saturday. In halftime festivities en route to the Nittany Lions’ eventual 17-7 win over Northwestern – celebrating the campuses’ singular purpose, no matter how geographically dispersed – designated students carried their respective school banners across the field. Representing Penn College were Sophia G. Wiest, of Butler, enrolled in landscape/plant production technology, and Nikolas J. Harnish, of Newmanstown, majoring in welding & fabrication engineering technology.
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The 2022 U.S. College Open Beer Championship has awarded two bronze medals to beers brewed by students in brewing & fermentation science at Pennsylvania College of Technology.

In the Belgian-Style Fruit Beer category, “Rachel’s Raspberry Tart,” produced by Rachel J. Gobin, captured one of the bronzes. The other medal was attained in the Robust Porter category by “Group Effort Porter,” a beer that was a full-class effort. The brews were created at the conclusion of the Spring 2022 semester.

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The teenage stars of Thursday night’s “MasterChef Junior Live!” appearance at the Community Arts Center spent the morning at Penn College – touring campus, interacting with students and enjoying a buffet lunch in Le Jeune Chef Restaurant. The lab visit offered a mutually respectful give-and-take, as the young chefs discussed their auditions and signature dishes, and appreciative Penn College students showed off the facilities in which they perfect their career-making craft. A number of those students have been granted VIP access to the 7 p.m. show, and four of them – Abby E. George, Harrisburg, applied management (and a 2021 baking and pastry arts grad); M.J. Harbron, Pottstown, baking and pastry arts; Jake T. Keller, Oreland, culinary applications; and Kylie R. Landon, Canton, culinary arts technology – will join the young chefs on stage during the CAC performance. Audriana L. Empet, director of admissions, will staff a table in the theater lobby to acquaint patrons with the college’s tradition of shaping Tomorrow Makers.

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“Penn College: Shaping the Next Generation of Welders,” a recent article prepared by Miller Electric Manufacturing LLC – one of the institution’s generous corporate partners – details students’ numerous opportunities to apply their learning beyond the lab. From a motorcycle constructed out of stainless steel to a fully sustainable Living Chapel, unveiled at the Botanical Garden of Rome, the piece explains how Pennsylvania College of Technology is training experts, not just welders, and providing its students with the skills and experience needed to enter the industry.

Neslihan “Nesli” Alp’s education and decorated career in academia have prompted several moves over the years, from her native Turkey to various regions in the United States. But her latest stop feels like home.

Alp is the new vice president for academic affairs and provost at Pennsylvania College of Technology, the institution’s highest-ranking academic officer. Her extensive resume aligns with the college’s core mission of applied technology education.

“I feel like I’m back home because of the programs that we have here,” smiled Alp, who began her duties on Aug. 1. “Everything seems similar to my background, my experience, my knowledge. I don’t feel that I’m a new person here.”

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The Architecture Department and Naim N. Jabbour, assistant professor of architecture, highlighted one of Penn College’s Global Experience programs during a recent information session in the Klump Academic Center Auditorium.

Nearly 100 students attended and were introduced to an immersive interdisciplinary cultural exploration of London, Paris, Florence and Rome during Spring 2023.

“The program allows students to get an amazing study-abroad experience – short, but high-impact – without having to give up a full semester,” Jabbour said. “Gaining a global perspective will set them up for future success.” Check out the poster for more about the May 15-26 trip to England, France and Italy: GLB271
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A Pennsylvania College of Technology student was one of about 100 nationwide to receive a scholarship from the Specialty Equipment Marketing Association, an organization serving the automotive aftermarket industry.

The SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund awarded a $2,750 scholarship to Brandan R. Marhefka, of Windber. A Dean’s List student, Marhefka is seeking a bachelor’s degree in welding & fabrication engineering technology.

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Students moseyed on over to the Field House on Saturday for a rootin’ tootin’ night of themed fun at “Wild, Wild Wildcats,” organized by Penn College’s Office of Student Engagement. Throughout the venue – which was transformed through hay bales and other western decor – participants enjoyed such activities as riding a mechanical bull, line dancing, a lifelike milking contest (with a less-than-real cow), and a variety of games and refreshments.

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Pennsylvania College of Technology students were among those on hand Saturday as their 193rd Special Operations Wing, a unit of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, transmitted its final message to spectators during the Community Days Air Show at the Lancaster Airport in Lititz. The Air Force said farewell to 54 years of military history in celebrating the last flight of EC-130J Commando Solo, used in psychological operations and part of the only flying radio and television broadcast platform in the U.S. Armed Forces.

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The Gallery at Penn College kicked off its new season this past week with the art, inspiration and activism of metal sculptor Lynden Cline. “We are so fortunate that our visiting artist could share new perspectives on art and the creative process through interactive experiences with students, faculty, staff and the community,” said Penny Griffin Lutz, gallery director. In addition to delivering an artist’s talk in the gallery Thursday evening, the Washington, D.C.-based visual artist visited a graphic design class earlier in the day to discuss “Artists as Activists” and conducted a public workshop, titled “Creativity Grows on Trees,” in The Dr. Welch Workshop: A Makerspace at Penn College on Wednesday afternoon. Cline’s “Unavoidable Intimacy,” an exhibit of steel sculptures, continues through Oct. 12 in the gallery on the third floor of The Madigan Library. On display in the gallery lobby is “The Carnival,” featuring photographs by Elle Cee. Admission is free and open to the public. Hours are: 2 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays; and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays. (The gallery is closed on Mondays and Saturdays.)

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Students in Pennsylvania College of Technology’s surgical technology major are joining hospitals and colleges throughout the country in observing National Surgical Technologists Week, Sept. 18-24.

National Surgical Technologists Week is a promotional event of the Association of Surgical Technologists to celebrate those who work in the field.

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Pennsylvania College of Technology is among more than 300 higher-education institutions recognized in the 2022 Military Times Best for Vets: Colleges list.

This year’s Best for Vets: Colleges survey featured schools that answered more than 70 questions on their services and programs for military students, whether active-duty, veteran, or families and dependents of service members.

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A safety demonstration, as shockingly eye-opening as it is thoroughly crowd-pleasing, returned to a Penn College parking lot on Wednesday. Three employees of PPL Electric Utilities (Jared Dyer, Doug Haupt and Chad Waltman) enlightened a main campus audience through the Live Line Electrical Safety Exhibit: a 7,200-volt distribution grid that uses live wires, utility poles and transformers to make abundantly clear the dangers associated with electricity. The utility’s well-trained and protectively attired staff employs ladders, gloves, shovels and other tools in a controlled outdoor environment to recreate the sparks, flames, smoke and crackling that occur when items come in contact with live electrical lines. It was the third college appearance for the attraction – first invited last fall by faculty in the School of Engineering Technologies – that makes frequent free appearances across a 29-county service area, sharing vital information with first responders and other interested audiences. PPL Electrical Utilities is among Penn College’s Corporate Tomorrow Makers, collaborating in a mutually beneficial partnership for student success and innovation.

Pennsylvania College of Technology is accepting students for admission into its new Bachelor of Science in biomedical sciences, set to launch in Fall 2023.

The new major is designed to provide a pathway for entry into careers in biomedical and laboratory science or for entry into graduate studies in various health care professions.

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