Academics

Berks Environmental Projects

Penn State Berks community prioritizes sustainability initiatives in spring 2023

Some of the projects that culminated at the end of the semester included holding a sustainable self-care fair on campus, a film screening of “The Story of Plastic,” the creation of a campus garden, and students presenting their engagement in environmental outreach projects — all to help educate the campus community on the importance of developing environmentally-friendly practices.  
Berks students work in a food serve environment preparing salads as part of a hospitality management course

Berks Hospitality Management and Food Services partner to enhance learning

At Penn State Berks, hospitality management students are learning about the principles of food production and service management in a living laboratory, through a unique collaboration between the college’s hospitality management baccalaureate degree program and Penn State Housing and Food Services. Faculty from the degree program and Food Services staff have partnered to offer HM 330: Food Production and Service Management.
Michel Germán

Penn State Berks Senior Spotlight: Michel Germán

During her time at Penn State Berks, Michel Germán dedicated her efforts to helping others, in and out of the classroom, all while persevering through adversity. The Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, native graduated on May 6 with her bachelor’s degree in elementary and early childhood education during the Penn State Berks commencement ceremony.
Erin Horack and Vinh Lu

Berks student research duo receives honorable mention at regional conference

Two Penn State Berks students received an honorable mention at the Mid-Atlantic Ecological Society of America (ESA) Annual Meeting, which was held from March 31 to April 2 at the University of Delaware. Erin Horack, a second-year biotechnology major, and Quang Vinh Lu, a second-year biology major, presented their research, titled “Antibiotic-Resistant Gene Expression in Water Quality Indicators, Escherichia coli, and Enterococci, Extracted from the Delaware River Basin.”
Edith Konneh

Penn State Berks Senior Spotlight: Edith Konneh

Edith Konneh has had a successful four years at Penn State Berks, both academically and socially. Perhaps her most significant accomplishment was inspiring her fellow students through her poetry which explores issues of mental health, self-love, and healing. The Lansdowne, Pennsylvania, native will graduate with a bachelor's degree in elementary and early childhood education during Penn State Berks commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 6.  
Two laptops with hands

New undergraduate research program available to Commonwealth Campus students

A new research program for students will be launched this coming fall: The Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses Undergraduate Student Research Fund aims to support student-led projects in different fields. Participants will acquire hands-on experience in research, scholarship, and artistic efforts. They will be responsible for creating their own research problems, study proposals, methodologies, and presenting their findings.
Lestine Paye

Penn State Berks Senior Spotlight: Lestine Paye

Penn State Berks senior Lestine Paye has had quite the journey to get to where she is today. From the outside looking in, it seems as though she’s done it all with ease. In just a few weeks, she’ll graduate with her bachelor’s degree in business with a focus on marketing and management, and a minor in entrepreneurship and innovation. For her, the challenges she’s faced have deeply influenced her personal and professional development.  
Victor Ortiz

Penn State Berks Senior Spotlight: Victor Ortiz

When Victor Ortiz emigrated from Mexico to the United States at age 13, he couldn’t have imagined what his future would hold. Ortiz will earn his Penn State Berks baccalaureate degree in organizational leadership on May 6, 2023, during the college’s commencement ceremony. Then he will be commissioned as an officer in the United States Marine Corps during a pinning ceremony, which will be held at Reading Senior High School on June 2.