Lauren Conrad has been named student marshal for the Penn State Berks spring 2026 commencement ceremony. She is earning a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and molecular biology with a minor in chemistry. Conrad, of Fleetwood, Pennsylvania, said she became interested in biochemistry during her first year at Brandywine Heights High School. The seeds of that interest took root when she completed the Medical Health Professions Program, a program that provides high school seniors with real-world experience and a head start on a future in healthcare.
Members of the Penn State Berks information technology faculty collaborated with teachers and students at Wyomissing Area High School to create projects for the Presidential AI Challenge, which seeks to inspire young people and educators to create artificial intelligence (AI)-based innovative solutions to community challenges while fostering AI interest and competency,
Penn State Berks will host a workshop titled “Designing critical thinking assessments in the Age of AI: Prompt and context engineering workshop” on Tuesday, May 12. The workshop is designed for K-12 educators. Participants who complete the full event will receive five hours of ACT 48 credit. The event is free, and breakfast and lunch will be provided. Registration is required by 5 p.m. on April 30.
Diane and Mike Katzaman have come forward with a $3 million estate commitment designed to lower financial barriers for Penn State students and provide the support they need to thrive.
A new class of more than 250 Penn State Berks students will receive their baccalaureate and associate degrees at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, at the Santander Arena in downtown Reading, when Berks hosts its spring 2026 commencement ceremony. Suniti Moudgil, chief technology officer at Carpenter and member of the Penn State Berks Advisory Board, will deliver the keynote address.
Throughout 2025, Berks LaunchBox continued accelerating startup growth in the Berks County community. In the last year, Berks LaunchBox assisted 277 entrepreneurs, taught new skills to 713 community members in its Makerspace, offered entrepreneurship classes to 540 community members, supported entrepreneurs and organizations in building 31 prototypes, and impacted 364 students.
Penn State Berks in partnership with Berks Nature will offer a nature discovery program on Wednesday, April 22, and collage art workshop on Saturday, May 16. The events are free and open to the public. Advance registration is required. These events are a citizen-science initiative that helps people learn about nature in their surrounding environments and share observations with a worldwide community of naturalists and conservationists.
The Penn State Berks Sustainability Council will host its annual Earth Day celebration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wednesday, April 22, in the Perkins Plaza, located just outside the Perkins Student Center, with a rain location of the Gaige Technology and Innovation Building. The Earth Day celebration will include community organizations, student tables, and activities, including planting in the campus garden. The event is free and open to the public and light refreshments will be served.
During finals week, Penn State University Libraries offers the De-stress Fest, which takes place at all five branch libraries across the University Park campus and at five campuses across the commonwealth, offering free snacks, games, activities, art therapy and other stress-management options that vary at each location.
Four outstanding Penn State Berks alumni were recently celebrated by the Penn State Berks Office of Development and Alumni Relations during its annual awards ceremony on March 26, 2026. Alyssa Bushkie received the Alumni Achievement Award, Emily Pfender received the Outstanding Young Alumnae Award, and Rogelio Flores and Aimee Strunk received the Volunteer Service Award.
