Education briefs
November 10, 2002 Brownsville in school Veterans Day
In an effort to add as few as possible days to the end of the school calendar, all schools in the Brownsville Area School District will be in session on Monday, Veterans Day.
Students are to be at their bus stops at their regular scheduled time. All schools will commemorate Veterans Day in some manner.
Uniontown to observe education week
Uniontown Area School District Superintendent Charles D. Machesky has announced plans for the school district’s observance of American Education Week Nov. 17-23.
Parents and guardians are invited to attend parent-teacher conferences for students in grades K-6, by appointment, and open house for students in grades 7-8, scheduled for the afternoon of Thursday, Nov. 14, beginning half hour after student dismissal until 4 p.m. and until 3 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 15. There will be no kindergarten classes on either day.
Open house for students in grades 9-12 is scheduled for the afternoon of Thursday, Nov. 14, from 11:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. only. However, students in grades 9-12 will be dismissed from school also on Friday, Nov. 15.
Guides will be available at all schools to direct the visitors. Lunches will be served prior to dismissal on both days.
All students will be dismissed both days according to the following schedule.
Elementary: Benjamin Franklin (first group) and Lafayette (first group) – 12:05 p.m.; Benjamin Franklin (second group) and Lafayette (second group) – 12:30 p.m.; Franklin, Menallen, A.J. McMullen – 12:15 p.m.; and Marclay and Wharton – 12:30 p.m.
Secondary: A.J. McMullen – 12:15 p.m.; area tech – 11:15 a.m.; Benjamin Franklin and Lafayette – 11:20 a.m.; and senior high – 11:30 a.m.
Schroyer an ambassador at IUP
Chrissa Schroyer, a Connellsville native, is part of national award-wining organization at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Schroyer, a graduate of Connellsville Area High School, is a member of IUP’s Student Ambassadors, who were recently honored for outstanding achievements by CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education) and the Association of Student Advancement Programs (ASAP).
Schroyer, a journalism and public relations major at IUP, has made the dean’s list and is a Provost Scholar. She is also involved in University Chorale, University Chorus, Campus Crusade for Christ, and is contributing writer to The Penn. She is the daughter of Judy and John Schroyer.
IUP’s Ambassadors, approximately 50 students, serve as a liaison between prospective and current students, administrators, faculty members, alumni and friends of the university.
Skowronek graduates cum laude
Felicia M. Skowronek of Uniontown graduated cum laude with a bachelor of science degree in finance and marketing on May 22 from the Robert H. Smith School of Business of the University of Maryland, College Park, Md.
During the past four years, she was a member of the Finance, Banking & Investment Society, president of the Trailblazer Leadership Group and the Gold Key National Honor Society. She was also a member of National Collegiate Scholars and the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society.
She is currently employed as financial consultant in the financial advisory division of the accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche in their Washington D. C. office.
She is the daughter of Gene and Cynthia Skowronek and the granddaughter of Eugene and Betty Skowronek and the late Joseph and Mary Legnasky, all of Uniontown.
Gallagher receives scholarship
Jana Gallagher, a senior at Pennsylvania State University, University Park, majoring in food science and nutrition science, is a recipient of the Institute of Food Technologists Junior/Senior Scholarship for the 2002-2003 academic year.
The purpose of the Junior/Senior IFT Scholarship/Fellowship program is to encourage deserving and outstanding undergraduate students to continue to pursue a curriculum leading to a bachelor of science in food science/technology.
Gallagher is the daughter of William and Janet Gallagher of Uniontown.
Midlik awarded scholarship
Completing its annual scholarship selection process for the 2002003 academic year, the Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation (PGSF) has granted $275,000 in scholarships to a total of 202 students pursuing careers in the graphic communications industry.
Local resident Renee Midlik was among the honorees.
Through the generosity of organizations and individuals for investing in the future of the industry and educating the leaders and the decision-makers of tomorrow, PGSF was able to give an average of $1,275 to encourage the brightest and best students to join the industry.
Midlik is a graduate of Laurel Highlands High School who is attending California University of Pennsylvania and majoring in graphic communications. She is the daughter of Andrew and Linda Midlik.
Grazzini given award
Richard A. Grazzini, son of Olga Grazzini of Fayette City, was honored in October with the 2002 Outstanding Science Alumni Award by the Eberly College of Science Alumni Society of the Pennsylvania State University.
The award is presented annually to recognize and reward outstanding Penn State alumni for their success as leaders in science and for their impact they have had and will continue to have on society and their professions.
Grazzini, president of Exygen Research Inc., is a 1971 graduate of Belle Vernon Area High School and recipient of the West Penn Memorial Scholarship that year. He earned his bachlor of science degree in biology and his doctorate in genetics from Penn State, and a master’s degree in horticulture from Purdue University.
As president of Exygen Research, formerly known as Centre Analytical Laboratories Inc. Grazzini has developed a well-respected team of scientists serving research and development for several market segments within the chemical industry. Under his leadership, senior staff at Exygen Research serve as mentors to young scientists, many of whom are graduates of Penn State.
Grazzini has served the Agro division of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in various capacities. He is a member of several other scientific professional organizations and serves the local community in many ways. Grazzini also serves on the board of directors of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts and has served on the board of directors of the Nittany Valley Symphony.
Hughes selected for program
Amy E. Hughes, a student at Albert Gallatin Senior High School, was selected by Unit 423 of the American Legion Auxiliary to attend Keystone Girls State.
The “Experience in Government” was held at Shippensburg University June 9-15 and was the 57th session sponsored by the American Auxiliary. About 200 girls spent the week studying government on city, county and state levels.
Hughes is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mark Hughes of Masontown. She is active in the National Honor Society, Penn State Honors Program, Mock Trial Team, varsity soccer team, Interact Club, Young Astronauts’ Club and 4-H Club. At All Saints Church, she is a member of the youth group, church lector and youth liturgy of the word lector. Among honors, she was named a Fayette Chamber of Commerce student of the month.
Kish takes third in competition
Three landscape architecture students of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., including local resident Rob Kish, took third place in the 27th Annual Student Competition in Landscape Architecture.
The National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA) in conjunction with the American Society of Landscape Architects sponsored the competition. The students proposed converting a former aggregates operation (Holston River Quarry in Dublin, Va.) into an outdoor amphitheater, for the enhancement and eventual reclamation of the site. Coming in third place affords the team a cash prize of $1,000. They were honored at a luncheon on Friday, Oct. 25 on campus.
The son of Robert and Melissa Kish of New Salem, Kish is a senior at Virginia Tech and a 1998 graduate of Uniontown Area High School. He is majoring in landscape architecture.
Kish is a member of the National Association of Landscape Architects and has been named to the dean’s list at Virginia Tech the past two years. He is the grandson of Ann Kish of New Salem and George and Josephine Sepac of Republic.
Byers receives award
Michelle Byers, who graduated last May from California University of Pennsylvania, has been selected as the recipient of the 2002-2003 Harry Faulk Award.
This annual award, named after the longtime educator, is given to a secondary education major who not only did an excellent job student-teaching, but also to an individual who has significantly devoted themselves to education both personally and professionally. The engraved trophy for the Faulk Award sits in a glass case in the lobby area of Cal U’s Keystone Education building.
The daughter of Randy and Judy Byers of Masontown, she graduated from Albert Gallatin Senior High School in 1998. She earned her bachelor’s of science degree last May in secondary education with dual certification in English and Spanish.
A member of Kappa Delta Pi Education Honor Society, Byers was also the vice-president of Alpha Mu Gamma Foreign Language Honor Society as well as a Presidential Scholar. Byers was a mentor in Cal U’s mentoring program and a member of the National Council for Teachers of English.
She now teaches Spanish and foreign language exploratory to grades 6-8 at Oakdale Middle School in Frederick County, Md. Byers is a member of the Maryland Foreign Language Association and she recently attended a foreign language conference held at the College of Notre Dame in Baltimore, Md.
Hoover named interim dean
The California University Forum has approved the recommendation of interim dean of library services Douglas Hoover as its new presiding officer to the California University Forum.
Hoover presided over his first meeting Oct. 1.
Hoover’s career at Cal U began in 1994, when he was hired as the library’s media technician. He was reclassified as the library systems administrator in 1996, and in 1998, he became the library information systems manager. With the retirement of William Beck in 2001, he was promoted to interim dean of library services.
Hoover is the third Forum presiding officer.
Cumings named director
Rick Cumings, a communications professor at California University of Pennsylvania, has officially been named state director for the Student-Faculty Liaison Committee by Bill Fulmer, president of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties.
Cumings will be expected to organize statewide seminars and workshops with student leaders from all 14 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Universities.
APSCUF is a faculty union designed to protect and advance faculty rights. Cumings has been involved with APSCUF from the time he began working at Cal U 10 years ago.
Essay winners announced
One of the last events of homecoming at California University of Pennsylvania was an evening reception, hosted by President and Mrs. Angelo Armenti Jr., where the five winners of the sesquicentennial essay contest were announced.
President Armenti explained that the essay contest, sponsored by Cal U alumnus and foundation board member Bill Booker, class of 1974, drew more than 60 essays, all of which focused on how Cal U changed the life of the writer. Armenti introduced and praised Booker for his generosity in funding the contest, noting that each of the selected authors received a check for $1,000.
Authors of the winning entries were Sharon Hamric-Weis, Ryan Henson, John C. Kovach, Carol Leonard, and Judith Ondo. Hamric-Weis, class of 1986, Kovach, class of 1986, and Leonard, class of 1958, are alumni who wrote about their experience at Cal U and what it meant to them. Henson, a junior journalism major, and Ondo, the mother of a current student, Renee D. Ondo, a senior travel and tourism major, received the other two awards.
WVU enrollment highest ever
West Virginia University’s official fall 2002 enrollment ranks highest in the history of the institution.
Fall enrollment on the main campus in Morgantown, W.Va., is up over 700 students, or 3.2 percent. A total of 23,492 students are attending the university, compared to 22,774 last fall. The previous high was in 1993 when 23,080 students attended WVU.
This year’s enrollment record is due in part to an 8.7 percent increase in first-time freshmen, the largest class in WVU’s history. The number of first-time freshmen rose by 317 students, for a total of 3,978.
Enrollment increased at all three student levels this fall: undergraduate enrollment rose by 571 students (3.5 percent) to 16,692, while graduate enrollment increased by 97 students (1.8 percent) to 5,509 and first professional enrollment increased by 50 students (4.0 percent) to 1,291.
WVU’s combined headcount enrollment at the four campuses is 30,638 – an increase of 896 students over last fall’s 29,742 count, or 3.01 percent.
New WVU building dedicated
West Virginia University officials recently dedicated the new Life Sciences Building in Morgantown, W.Va.
The $50 million, 190,000-square-foot building is the home for the school’s biology and psychology programs.
The Life Sciences Building opened this semester at the corner of Campus Drive and University Avenue in the loop where old Mountaineer Field once stood. Its eight floors contain classrooms, teaching and research labs, a 250-seat auditorium, 125-seat auditorium, community mental health center, herbarium and greenhouse.
WVU President David C. Hardesty Jr. noted that the dedication marked the completion of new construction in the first phase of a 10-year campus renewal program. Other new buildings include a $34 million Student Recreation Center that opened in July 2001 and a $37 million consolidated downtown library complex that opened in January.
The biology and psychology departments are the two largest programs in WVU’s Eberly College of Arts and Sciences.