Nursing students at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus are working on “Smile for Life,” a service-learning project with the mission of educating parents and their children about the importance of dental health. The project originates from Cornerstone Care, Inc., a non-profit network of community health centers and practices serving communities throughout southwestern Pennsylvania.

Nursing students at Penn State Fayette conducted approximately 37 presentations in Fayette County Head Start classrooms this spring. This school-based program focused on pre- and post-assessments of children’s knowledge of good dental health. Presentations included readings of children’s stories on dental care and demonstrating proper brushing and flossing techniques with stuffed animals. Each child received a light-up tooth brush, tooth paste, and dental floss.

Melissa Miner, campus coordinator of nursing at Penn State Fayette, said, “This is a great opportunity for our nursing students to apply theory learned in their nursing courses in a community setting. Dental tooth decay is preventable with the correct knowledge provided at an early age.”

The Penn State Dance MaraTHON is a yearlong fundraising event contributing to The Four Diamonds Fund, which strives to beat childhood cancer by helping children and their families, treating them at Penn State Children’s Hospital in Hershey, Pa.

Since the organization of the Fayette campus THON team 15 years ago, the team has raised over $735,000 for the Four Diamonds Fund charity.

Among Penn State’s 19 Commonwealth Campuses, the Fayette THON Team has been the No. 1 fundraising campus 12 of the past 15 years; the team placed second in 2005, 2006 and 2011.

Student dancers, student volunteers, faculty, staff, alumni and family members from throughout the University system packed the Bryce Jordan Center at University Park for the concluding THON weekend Feb. 17–19. About 40 team members from Penn State Fayette were present in support of the campus’ six dancers, who participated in the exhausting 46 hour no-sitting, no-sleeping event.

Penn State Fayette THON Team advisor Chad Long says, “I’m very proud to be a part of the Fayette THON team. Our students work extremely hard to help further pediatric cancer research and financially assist families with the physical and emotional support they need. With a tough economy and the recent events at Penn State, our students have overcome difficult challenges. They should be an inspiration to everyone!”

For more information about THON, visit www.THON.org.

MATHCOUNTS is a national enrichment, club and competition program that promotes middle school mathematics achievement through grassroots involvement in every U.S. state and territory. The annual event challenges students with various mathematical problems and equations.

Kevin Maxwell, mathematics instructor at Penn State Fayette, said, “We had one of the largest groups of competitors we’ve ever had, and the students worked hard to prepare for this day. The students really seem to enjoy a day where they get to show off their math skills.”

MATHCOUNTS is comprised of three individual rounds and one team round. The top four students will compete in the state competition in Harrisburg—Daniel Salai from West Greene Middle School in Waynesburg (4th place); Emma Holt from A.J. McMullen Middle School in Markleysburg (3rd place); Lillian Behm from Margaret Bell Miller Middle School in Waynesburg (2nd place); and Jack Fudala from Margaret Bell Miller Middle School (1st place). Fudala was awarded a $1,000 Penn State Fayette Scholarship.

Also going to Harrisburg will be the students from Margaret Bell Middle School, who won the team competition. The team is comprised of Jack Fudala, Lillian Behm, Cole Rush, Nick Fox, and coaches Rick Layton and Lisa Durbin.

Clockwise from the left: Julie Seliga, Kayla Lukaesko, and Mikela Fitzpatrick, 7th graders at Lafayette Middle School.

Clockwise from the left: Jake Rittenour, Brandon Pastorius, Courtney Crider, and Noah Allison, 8th graders at Connellsville Junior High East.

Eight members of the faculty and staff at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus have been recognized for excellence in 2011. The Advisory Board of Penn State Fayette funds these awards annually to recognize individuals for their outstanding accomplishments and to acknowledge the contributions of those who have served the University well.

Dr. Francis Achampong, Chancellor, says “We are proud to honor the hard-working and dedicated individuals who help make Penn State Fayette the wonderful place that it is.”

Those honored for their excellence in 2011 include:

Administrative Excellence – Rita Gumbert, assistant to the financial officer, for her professionalism and personal investment in the campus, including her participation with the campus’ Emergency Management Team, her assistance with international students and her support of the Fayette campus’ athletic teams.

Scholarly Excellence – Joseph Shostell, associate professor of biology, was recognized for the scope, quality, and consistency of his publications, as well as the collaborative nature of his work as professor and researcher. He routinely involves his students in his important research, and he served as the faculty advisor for the first place winner of the spring 2011 Learning Fair.

Support Services Excellence – The Financial Assistants Team of Earla Knoyer and Sharon Rendine were recognized for their dedicated professionalism in working with faculty, staff, and students to enforce the financial policy and procedures of the university.

Teaching Excellence – Janet Knott, nursing instructor, was honored for her consistent and effective performance as a teacher and for her contributions to her profession. Through a grant, she was able to obtain needed equipment for the nursing department to enhance the teaching environment.

Adjunct Teaching Excellence – Shirley Dempsey, a lecturer in psychology, was recognized for her vested interest in her students and their abilities to achieve academic success within the classroom. As a licensed psychological counselor, she uses life experiences and employment off-campus to educate and relate to her students.

The Ellen M. Laun Advising Excellence Award – Lawrence Hunchuck, instructor and program coordinator for mining technology, was honored for his recognizable passion for teaching and his ability to clear the way to help students perform at a high level. He is always available to his students, but most especially at critical times of need during the year.

The Barbara B. Solesky Staff Assistant Excellence Award – Michelle Henrish, for exceptional service in improving communication for the Nursing Program coordinator, eight full-time faculty, six part-time faculty and approximately 100 nursing students.

The Uniontown Hospital Auxiliary recently contributed $10,000 to the Nursing Scholarship Program at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus. The donation resulted from proceeds of the volunteer corps Festival of Trees Holiday Event held annually at Uniontown Hospital. The scholarship provides financial assistance to area students pursuing degrees in nursing at Penn State Fayette.

The course includes strategies and techniques for taking the test and a review of verbal and math concepts. Students will also work on how to tackle the essay portion of the test. The 2012 spring SAT test dates are March 10, May 5 and June 2.

Two sessions of the SAT Prep Course are being offered at the Fayette campus:

• Five Thursdays, Feb. 2-March 1, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
• Five Thursdays, March 29-April 26, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The course costs $99 (the textbook is included) and will use The Official SAT Study Guide: For the New SAT. Anyone who has a copy of the text may deduct $20 from the fee. Tuition for individuals repeating the course for the second time is $49. Both sessions of the course will be taught at Penn State Fayette’s Corporate Training Center in the Eberly Building.

Registration deadline for the Thursday, Feb 2.-March 1, course is Tuesday, Jan. 31. Registration deadline for the Thursday, March 29-April 26, course is Tuesday, March 27.

For more information or to register, call 724-430-4211 or visit the website at www.fayette.psu.edu/CE.