A new class of nearly 250 Penn State Berks students will receive their baccalaureate and associate degrees at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 6, at the Santander Arena in downtown Reading, when Berks hosts its spring 2023 commencement ceremony. The honorary keynote speaker this year will be Brian S. Dreibelbis, Penn State Berks alumnus and senior director of supply chain human resources/labor and employee relations at the Land O’Lakes Corporation. He is also a member of the Penn State Berks Advisory Board.
Eve Gibbs, a senior biochemistry and molecular biology major and chemistry minor at Penn State Berks, is well on her way to an exciting career in science research. This past summer, she completed an internship with the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. And after the spring semester ends, she will spend the summer working at the National Institute of Health through their Undergraduate Scholarship Program.
The Penn State Berks Alumni Society celebrated three alumni who received awards for 2022 during its awards ceremony on Wednesday, April 5. Nick Claytor received the Volunteer Service Award, Brittany Maack LaManna earned the Outstanding Young Alumna Award, and Steve Stetzler won the Alumni Achievement Award. In addition, Nicholas Yeager, 2021 recipient of the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, was also recognized this year as he was unable to attend last year’s ceremony.
The Penn State Berks global studies degree program will host a global forum with a presentation titled “Public Service Abroad: What Is the U.S. Foreign Service?” from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19, in Room 121 Gaige Technology and Business Innovation Building. The event is free and open to the public.
When the Berks LaunchBox first opened nearly seven years ago, it provided a glimmer of hope to Berks County entrepreneurs and innovators. Since then, its impact has grown to be more than its staff could have imagined.
The Penn State Berks Freyberger Gallery will present a multimedia art installation titled “When it starts, we will let the host know you are waiting” by Philadelphia-based artist Alicia Link. The installation addresses inequity through the visual language of the gynecologist’s office and waiting room. It will run from Wednesday, April 19, to Saturday, May 13, with a reception on Thursday, April 27. The event is free and open to the public and light refreshments will be served.
Jennifer Murphy, associate professor of criminal justice at Penn State Berks, was recently awarded the 2023 Ken Peak Innovations in Teaching Award, given to one faculty member nationwide by the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS). The purpose of this award is to recognize and honor criminal justice and criminology faculty members for innovative teaching methods.
Inspired by the opportunity to memorialize her husband and support the community that brought them together, Penn State graduate Barbara Bradley has stepped forward with a gift of $350,000 to establish the John and Barbara Bradley Scholarship at Penn State Berks.
As part of the SustainFood Project, Penn State Berks will host a webinar on innovation and entrepreneurship for food security on Monday, March 27. This webinar is free and open to the public, but attendees must register in advance.
To address the mental health crisis on college campuses, Penn State Berks will host the Alive! Mental Health Fair Thursday, April 20, on the Perkins Student Center Plaza. This event is for Penn State Berks students, faculty and staff only.
