Nicole Heker explains that it was a ‘journey of unlearning’ that originally took her from Penn State Berks to Thailand. From there she moved on to Indonesia, to India, and back to Thailand — where she began 15-month solo bicycle excursion that ended in Portugal, passing through several other countries. "Within your family and within society, there are whispers about who you are. You only become aware of them when you step outside your comfort zone.”
Lack of access to capital is one of the primary barriers facing Black and Latinx entrepreneurs. That's why Penn State alumna Aniyia Williams launched Black & Brown Founders, a nonprofit organization providing community, education and financial access to Black and Latinx entrepreneurs, allowing them to launch and build tech businesses with modest resources.
The Penn State Berks Flemming Creativity, Entrepreneurship, and Economic Development (CEED) Center is inspiring an entrepreneurial spirit and innovative mindset among students and community members.
Penn State Berks has had a history of collaboration with the University of Split, from Berks helping the Split to develop a service-learning program in 2018 to present day.
Three Penn State Berks students are taking active steps to make a difference in the city of Reading. They were among the 10 young adults who City Council voted to approve to serve on the first Reading Youth Commission.
Berks LaunchBox recently received a $50K grant from the commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Education to purchase equipment for its makerspace and community operating workspace.
Penn State Berks and Schreyer Honors College alumna Diana Adams has been active doing volunteer work in her community and an inspiration to others for overcoming her own challenges.
Cara Exten, an assistant nursing professor and infectious disease epidemiologist, studies the occurrence and spread of infectious diseases in populations over time. She put her nearly 20 years of epidemiology experience to the test by helping the University create and execute a COVID-19 testing and contact tracing initiative.
Penn State DuBois Continuing and Community Education, in partnership with Penn State Berks, will offer an SAT preparatory course for high school students. Two sections of this course are offered at different times, allowing participants to choose the class that best fits their schedule.
When sisters Cory Dahlia Varona Corniel and Nicol Varona Cancelmo were growing up in the Dominican Republic, they were taught that their natural curly hair was considered messy and unprofessional. Now, using the marketing and business acumen they gained at Penn State Berks, they've launched a company that aims to empower women.
