Throughout 2024, Berks LaunchBox has continued accelerating startup growth in the Berks County community. In the last year, Berks LaunchBox has assisted 229 new entrepreneurs, taught new skills to 708 community members in its Makerspace, offered entrepreneurship classes to 463 community members, and impacted 339 students.
Joy Tac LLC, a student startup from Penn State Harrisburg, won first place and $15,000 in the 2025 Invent Penn State Inc.U Competition. As a kickoff to Penn State Startup Week powered by PNC, six student teams from four Penn State campuses pitched their startups to a panel of judges, competing for prizes totaling $30,000 in funding.
Penn State Global has announced the 2024-25 recipients of its annual awards that recognize the outstanding contributions of individuals and academic programs at Penn State who have contributed to advancing the University’s global engagement goals.
In recognition of Campus Pride Month, Penn State Berks will host its second Pride Prom, titled "Meadow Moonlit Ball," from 6:30-10 p.m. on Sunday, April 13, at the Janssen Conference Center, located off the corner of Broadcasting Road and Janssen Drive. The event is open to the public (age 17 and older). It is free for all Penn State Berks students with ID. Donations are requested but not required.
Editor's note: This program has been postponed and will be rescheduled at a later date. The Penn State Berks global studies program will host a global forum titled "From Penn State to the Field and Back Again: Reflections on a Career in International Research for Development," presented by Katie Tavenner on Monday, April 7.
The Penn State Berks Freyberger Gallery will present “Apprentice,” an exhibition of work by visiting artist Abbey Muza that tells the story of the college’s predecessor institution — Wyomissing Polytechnic Institute — and its apprentice program. The exhibition will open April 10 and run through May 9, with the opening reception to be held in the gallery from noon to 3 p.m. on April 10. The event is free and open to the public, and light refreshments will be served.
The 12th annual Penn State Berks Losoncy Lecture in Physics and Astronomy will be presented by Martha Constantinou, associate professor of physics and vice chair of department of physics at Temple University. Constantinou will present “Unlocking the Secrets of the Proton’s Spin: Insights from Simulations of the Core of Visible Matter” on Wednesday, April 9. A reception will begin at 4 p.m. in the college’s Perkins Student Center Multipurpose Room and the lecture begins at 4:45 p.m. in the Perkins Student Center Auditorium. This event is free and open to the public.
Margo DelliCarpini, Penn State vice president for Commonwealth Campuses and executive chancellor, will be leaving the University effective June 30 to take on a new position as the provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at the College of New Jersey.
Networking is a crucial skill for young professionals in terms of career advancement, gaining access to opportunities, and building relationships. To that end, the Penn State Berks Advisory Board will sponsor an event titled “Elevate Your Path – Empowering Today’s Young Professionals” from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8, in the Penn State Berks Perkins Student Center, Multipurpose Room.
Penn State Berks will mark its decade-long sustainability journey with a presentation titled “Celebrating our Sustainability Journey; Reflecting on the Past and Looking Ahead.” The event will take place from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26, in the Perkins Student Center Multipurpose Room. The event will include light refreshments and will be open to the public but attendees are encouraged to RSVP in advance.
