According to the 2020 census, the Hispanic and Latino population of the City of Reading is nearly 69%, up from 58% in 2010. To meet the needs of this growing population, Penn State Berks is expanding its efforts to engage with and support the local Hispanic and Latino communities with several new initiatives.
Eight incoming Penn State Berks students were awarded a four-year scholarship to study engineering through the Penn State Berks Leveraging Innovation and Optimizing Nurturing (LION) STEM Scholars Program. Funded by a U.S. National Science Foundation grant, the main goal of the LION STEM Scholars Program is to enhance the STEM workforce by graduating more diverse high-achieving STEM students who have demonstrated financial need.
As part of the college’s ongoing efforts to engage with and support the local Hispanic and Latino communities, Penn State Berks will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept. 15–Oct. 15, with a variety of vibrant events, educational presentations and cultural showcases. These events include dynamic speakers, Latin cuisine, music, dancing and much more. All events are free and open to the public and most are held at Penn State Berks, except "Enhance Your Customer Service" with Rosa Julia Parra, which will be held at Centro Hispano Daniel Torres in downtown Reading.
Penn State University Libraries recognized 12 outstanding faculty and staff April 11, from among its more than 500 employees. Faye Chadwell, dean of University Libraries and Scholarly Communications, presided over an awards ceremony to continue a tradition of recognizing employees that spans at least 50 years.
In honor of Penn State’s Campus Pride Month, Penn State Berks will host its first Pride Prom beginning at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 21, 2024, in Multipurpose Room 2 of the Perkins Student Center. The event is open to the public (18 and older).
The Penn State Berks global studies program will host a global forum titled “Asking the World: Public Opinion Surveying in Developing Countries” from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. on Monday, April 8, 2024 in Room 121 of the Gaige Technology and Business Innovation Building. The event is free and open to the public.
The Penn State Berks International Klub will host a Holi celebration from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, April 5, on Luerssen Field. The event is free and open to the public.
Penn State Berks announced has that two of its professors have been elected as 2024 INFORMS (Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences) DEI Ambassadors. In this role, Sadan Kulturel-Konak, professor of management information systems and director of the college’s Flemming Creativity, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development Center, and Abdullah Konak, distinguished professor of information sciences and technology, will complete a project titled “Innovation in Operations Research: Fostering Equity and Justice in Problem Formulation.”
On Sunday, Feb. 11, Penn State Berks will celebrate the Lunar New Year with a live performance of the traditional Asian art form of the Lion Dance by the Penn Lions dance troupe in the Perkins Student Center Auditorium. This free event begins at 2 p.m. and is open to the public.
