Penn State Berks alumna Jaymi Smith, who graduated with her bachelor’s degree in global studies in May 2023, earned acceptance into the United States Peace Corps. In October 2023, she will travel to Timor-Leste to work as a community economic development facilitator.
Jayné Park-Martinez began volunteering with Penn State Extension’s Master Watershed Steward Program in 2018 and has been making an impact on the surrounding community ever since.
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.
When the Berks LaunchBox first opened nearly seven years ago, it provided a glimmer of hope to Berks County entrepreneurs and innovators. Since then, its impact has grown to be more than its staff could have imagined.
Jennifer Murphy, associate professor of criminal justice at Penn State Berks, was recently awarded the 2023 Ken Peak Innovations in Teaching Award, given to one faculty member nationwide by the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS). The purpose of this award is to recognize and honor criminal justice and criminology faculty members for innovative teaching methods.
As part of the SustainFood Project, Penn State Berks will host a webinar on innovation and entrepreneurship for food security on Monday, March 27. This webinar is free and open to the public, but attendees must register in advance.
Penn State Berks students proved yet again that dedication reaps rewards. Berks Benefitting THON student organization raised $36,287.98 and earned the seventh spot among Penn State Commonwealth Campuses. The results were announced at the end of the 46-hour dance marathon to benefit Four Diamonds on Sunday, Feb. 19.
The Berks LaunchBox powered by Penn State recently received a $53,000 grant from the County of Berks. Working with Furniture Soup, Berks LaunchBox will use most of the funding to revamp the coworking space with new desks, storage and sound dampening, and to add a small meeting space for entrepreneurs to work collaboratively, as well as other purposes.
The program supports entrepreneurs who have a small business or are developing a business related to the arts. Funding ranges from $500 to $2,000, which must be used to support business formation or development. Eligible entrepreneurs must have at least one consultation with Berks LaunchBox staff to review their business plan.
Penn State Berks is showing support for the six student dancers who are representing the college at THON, the dance marathon to benefit families battling pediatric cancer, with “Dancer Week” from Feb. 13 to 17. The week will culminate with a dancer send-off on Thursday, Feb. 16, where faculty, staff, and fellow students gather to wish the dancers well and send them off as they head to University Park to represent Penn State Berks.
