Carol Toomey, Instructor in Communication Arts and Sciences, officially retired on June 20, 2015, after a total of 16 years of service to the college.
Toomey taught Effective Speech and a performing Arts class, which she designed for students in the Childhood and Early Adolescent Education major. Her teaching experience includes college public speaking courses, as well as high school speech and English, and private and public communication disorders diagnosis and therapy.
The Penn State Berks Communication Arts & Sciences (CAS) program is blazing a trail toward an initiative in higher education by adopting a free online textbook, which can also be downloaded and printed, for all sections of the course Effective Speech (CAS100A). This online textbook, The Public Speaking Project, will be used in the University Open Educational Resources (OER) textbook pilot initiative.
Families of Penn State Berks students will experience life on campus, while alumni will reconnect when the college hosts its annual Family and Homecoming Weekend, from Friday, September 25-Sunday, September 27, 2015. This year's event has a 1960s theme. The program will include activities for the entire family, including social and athletic events that showcase the campus. Most events are open to all attendees, but preregistration is required for the Picnic Lunch and the Alumni Reunion Dinner.
Penn State Berks is "paying forward" the grand prize of $5,000 received as part of the PepsiCo Campus Recycling Challenge, by investing that money in 100% cotton, reusable bags, which will be distributed to students during Move-in Day on August 21, 2015. This is part of the college's ongoing sustainability efforts.
Students at Penn State Berks will soon be able to experience sustainability initiatives in South Africa and other countries without ever leaving campus. Betsy Scarpaci, Assistant Director of Residence Life at Penn State Berks has been instrumental in bringing an interactive kiosk to campus, where students will be able to experience global sustainability with other Penn State students traveling abroad. Penn State Berks is the only campus in the Penn State system to have such a kiosk.
Penn State Berks students traveled to Detroit, Michigan to hold a summer camp for children who are still recovering from the devastation caused by the flooding that occurred in August 2014. The initiative is part of Camp Noah, and the trip was was held the week of July 25-31, 2015.
Walter Fullam was recently named Senior Director of Statewide Continuing Education for Penn State University. He will continue to lead the Office of Continuing Education at Penn State Berks on a half-time basis.
Penn State Berks students are starting the academic year by getting involved in the local community through the Penn State Berks Day of Service on Sunday, August 30, 2015.
Students will volunteer at the Animal Rescue League, where they will spend time with the animals and help them to socialize in an effort to make them more adoptable and will help to clean the facility; Country Meadows, where they will wash residents' cars and wheelchairs; and Gring's Mill for a park cleanup.
Penn State Berks students majoring in Kinesiology and Communication Arts and Sciences will be working with Penn State Health and My Gut Instinct, Inc. at the second annual Guts & Glory Digestive & Wellness Expo. The event will be held on Saturday, September 19, 2015, (rain date: Sunday, September 20) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading, PA. The expo is free and open to the public.
Penn State Financial Literacy Manager Daad Rizk has compiled a list of six basic financial tips to help students successfully adapt to life away from home.
