Student Mosaics Bring Color to Penn College’s Capitol Eatery

Published 11.07.2016

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When you enter Capitol Eatery, one of the largest and busiest dining units on the campus of Pennsylvania College of Technology, the serving area boasts bright splashes of color throughout, but the dining room lacked those vivid accents. That changed this summer, when student works of art were installed on its walls.

While taking a ceramics class offered through the college’s Workforce Development & Continuing Education department, Dining Services Director Crissy L. McGinness began to envision a way to spruce up the dining unit décor. She approached David A. Stabley, instructor of ceramics and wood sculpture, about a plan to add student-created mosaics, similar to many he and students had created around campus, at Capitol Eatery.

“Dave is a talented ceramics instructor,” McGinness said, “and I was excited to see what he and his students could bring to our dining unit.”



Wall hangings designed and made by Penn College students in an Art of the Mosaic course adorn the Capitol Eatery, the college’s largest and busiest dining unit. With a central theme of food, the student project came together in the spring of 2016. Stabley and his students designed and created six large-scale mosaic pieces: a spoon, a fork, a knife, a plate of pancakes, an ice cream cone and a bowl of colorful fruit. Each piece was created using an array of ceramic and glass tiles.

Students involved with the project were enrolled in Art of the Mosaic, an elective course for students in any major. They are: Shakira E. Alleyne, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; Kaitlyn L. Andersen, of Mastic, N.Y.; DeLaney W. Blubaugh, of Waynesboro; Rachel A. Eirmann, of Bellefonte; Leslie M. Medina, of Kennett Square; Morgan L. Royer, of Spring Mills; Haley J. Singer, of Bellefonte; Alayna C. Thomas, of Williamsport; Amanda M. Turner, of Dover; Henry M. Velez, of Milford; and Ryan S. Wilk, of Coal Township.

“Dave and his students were incredible to work with,” McGinness said. “Not only did it add to the dining experience, but we were able to showcase our students’ creativity and help create continuity across the campus.”

Earlier this year, Dining Services partnered with a welding class on campus to create several unique pieces of art that were then installed in another dining unit, the Keystone Dining Room.

McGinness is working with Peter Kruppenbacher, assistant professor of building construction technology, and his building construction class to create a wood wall hanging for the Keystone Dining Room.

“I am very excited to add more student work to our dining facilities throughout campus,” she said.

For information about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education and workforce development, email the Admissions Office or call toll-free 800-367-9222.