Campus Life

pollunators partners

College partners with allergy practice to show patients what allergies look like

You can feel it in the air every spring and fall when it's "allergy season" in Berks County: the sneezing and running nose, the itchy, watery eyes. But did you ever wonder what your allergies look like? It may soon be possible to actually see your allergies-or rather, the pollen and mold that cause an allergic reaction in some individuals, through a partnership between Penn State Berks and Berkshire Allergy & Asthma Center.
logo for Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Penn State to host Sexual Assault Awareness Month events in April

As part of Penn State’s ongoing efforts to raise awareness about sexual violence, the University is marking Sexual Assault Awareness month in April, with events slated to take place at campuses across the Commonwealth. Those events include lectures, film screenings, self-defense training, “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” events and other educational programs.
Reinvention Fund logo

Penn State's Reinvention Fund invests $100K in student sustainability projects

In October 2013, the Sustainability Institute announced its new internal grant program, The Reinvention Fund, intended to support collaborative projects by faculty, staff and students that will improve and expand sustainability efforts at Penn State. Of the more than $700,000 allocated for investment in these projects, $102,000 has been dedicated to support proposals received by student teams. Twenty-two proposals were received from interdisciplinary student teams, and 11 were selected to be funded. The funded proposals represent innovative ideas from four of Penn State's campuses -- Abington; Berks; Erie, The Behrend College; and University Park.

The Medical Minute: Practice fireworks safety this Independence Day

Independence Day celebrations almost always include fireworks of some kind. The Prevent Blindness America organization recommends attending professionally organized fireworks displays rather than buying and setting off your own. This view is echoed by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), which collects and reports data on fireworks-related injuries every year. They report that 7,000 emergency room visits from fireworks-related injuries occurred during 2008, including seven deaths. In 2007, there were 11 deaths and 9,800 emergency room visits from fireworks-related injury.