Penn State Scranton Hosts Annual Spring Concert Penn State’s Scranton Musical ensembles will present their Annual Spring Concert as a gift to the Greater Scranton community on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at 4 p.m. at The Theater at North. What: Spring ConcertWhere: The Theater at North 1539 N Main Ave, Scranton, PA 18508When: Saturday, April 20, 2024, at 4 p.m. This event is free and open to the public, with doors opening at 3:30 p.m. The concert will feature performances from the Penn State Scranton Chorale, The Roc[k]tet, and Campus Jazz Band. Performances will include “a variety of music ranging from spiritual, patriotic, big band, pop music, etc.”, said Director of Music Sharon Ann Toman. The concert will also feature a guest chorus, the Blue Ridge Middle School Chorus, under the direction of Amy Zaukaurauskas, who will perform a joint patriotic choral work with the Penn State Scranton Chorale. Toman, an award-winning associate teaching professor of music and program coordinator for the Arts and Humanities at Penn State Scranton will be directing the Spring Concert and the campus’ three musical groups. She received Bachelor of Music degree (B.M.) in Piano Performance from Marywood University, Master of Music degree (M.M.) in Piano Pedagogy and Music History from The Catholic University of America, and doctoral studies at Temple University and further studies at Manhattan School of Music.” “Students in the Penn State Scranton music program, as well as myself, are so looking forward to performing our Annual Spring Concert,” Toman said. “The students have been working hard with rehearsals and preparing for our Spring Concert, and once again, I’m proud to say that these live performances are a gift from Penn State Scranton to the Community. So please do come out to this performance as there will be music for all age groups to enjoy!” Amy Zakarauskas is a choral director, pianist, accompanist, and vocal and piano pedagogue with over 12 years of experience. She holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from Mansfield University. She serves as director of the Blue Ridge School District’s Middle School and High School choruses. In addition, she serves as a pianist at the First Presbyterian Church in Hallstead, PA and also teaches piano lessons at her piano studio.” Many Penn State Scranton students, faculty, and staff will be involved to make this concert a wonderful experience for those who attend. Their names are as follows: The Roc[k]tet: Chelsey Cruz, Jason Daloul, Justin Griffiths, Rowan Mulligan, Halle O’Neil, Luke Rusin, Megan Schmidt, and Jacob Webb. Penn State Scranton Chorale Sopranos: Cassandra Harmon-Stochla, Rhiannon Garofalo**, Eileen Giovagnoli*, Vanessa Hodges, Janet Melnick*, Carly Mignano**, Rowan Mulligan, Vivian Ni and Halle O’Neil. Altos: Adriana Bonafede, Chelsey Cruz, Alexis Fisher, Kristin Green*, Meg Hatch*, Rebekah Howells, Chloe Kramer, Rose Morel, Danitza Acosta, Megan Schmidt and Isabella Touseull. Tenor/Bass: James Bernosky, Matthew Coggins, Jason Daloul, Olivia DeVore, Paul Frisch*, Justin Griffiths, Alexander Karp, Luke Rusin, Jacob Webb, and Jayson Zimmerman**. *Indicates faculty/staff. **Indicates friends of PSU. Penn State Scranton Campus Jazz Band Flute: Sharon Ebert*, Ceiwynn Longworth. Violin: Nina Burke, Randall Kasorek**, Solei Lasanta. Alto Sax: Robert Bishop**, Mayer Crean. Tenor Sax: Jack Mead**, Vivian Ni. Trumpet: Molly Abdalla*, Jacquelyn Bitter, Gabriella Bruford, Melina Petrini, Steve Semonich**. Trombone: Stan Kalafut**. Guitar: Gary Caolo**, Katrina Concepcion, Riley Martin. Bass: Ray Petren*. Drums: Griff Lewis*, Dave McKenney, Carl Mignano**. Aux. Percussion: Nicholas Pallman, Debra Smarkusky*. Keyboard: Sharon Toman*. *Indicates faculty/staff **Indicates friends of PSU.
Penn State Scranton Donates to Keystone Mission Penn State Scranton: With cold weather already impacting Northeast Pennsylvania, concern for those who may not have the necessary warm clothing, particularly winter coats, was a primary concern for students in Penn State Scranton’s BA 321 class. So much so, that they made conducting a community-wide coat and clothing drive their semester class project. Under the guidance of Assistant Teaching Professor Frank Sorokach, the students completed their project on Friday morning at Penn State Scranton’s Business Building with a formal presentation of close to 600 winter items to Scranton’s Keystone Mission. A $600 donation from Adidas was secured by the students working on the project earlier in the fall, but they did not share that with Keystone Mission, so that they could surprise them with something above and beyond what they were expecting. Multiple community partners also played a vital role in the success of this project including Home Depot, the Mountain View School District, Jessup Borough, Colarusso’s Restaurant, and several others committed to fostering a spirit of giving and warmth within the region and supporting Penn State Scranton students in their endeavor. In October, students launched their project, strategically placing collection boxes across campus and community locations. Within just one week, their efforts exceeded the initial goal of collecting 100 coats. The upcoming public presentation to Keystone Mission reflects the students’ dedication to community service and their desire to make a meaningful impact. “Community service means being selfless,” said third-year business major Michael DeWolfe. “It’s important to give back because we have the privilege to have warm clothes. Helping others is important to our group.” DeWolfe credits Penn State Scranton for providing him with the opportunity to help those in need. “PSU shaped me as a student and as an individual [to be able to give] back to the community by giving me opportunities like BA 321. With great professors and a community to back me up, I have seen how fortunate I am to be able to attend this institution and have the resources I have,” DeWolfe said. “It is important to use these skills and opportunities to give back.” Josephine Sesay, a fourth-year business major, said, “As a team, we want this drive to be successful to help the community and put smiles on people’s faces. “Giving back to those in need is important because it helps create a more compassionate and equitable society. Additionally, helping others is a fundamental aspect of our shared humanity. It addresses systematic issues of inequality and provides crucial support to individuals and communities facing hardships. Additionally, helping others is a fundamental aspect of our shared humanity.” The Winter Wear Drive is a project undertaken as part of Penn State’s BA 321: Contemporary Skills for Business Professionals course. This course, offering three credits, emphasizes the development of individual, group, critical thinking, and presentation skills through modern methods and business technology. Penn State Scranton is committed to community engagement and creating positive social impact through student-led initiatives. The Winter Wear Drive exemplifies the University’s dedication to fostering compassionate leaders and contributing to the well-being of the community.
Penn State Scranton Adds Eight New Faculty and Staff Members Penn State Scranton adds eight new faculty and staff members. Joining the campus are Farhang Daneshmand, assistant professor of engineering; Valarie Lynn, head librarian; Kelly Conlon-Mazzucca. lecturer of corporate communication; Loan Pham, assistant professor of business; Sarah Shigo, administrative support assistant/business services; Sarah Smith, coordinator of psychological and counseling services; Zachary Troy, IT support specialist; and Nicole Watkins, assistant professor of psychology. Read more here: https://scranton.psu.edu/story/23676/2023/10/19/penn-state-scranton-welcomes-eight-new-employees
Penn State Scranton Hosts TEC Talk When: Oct 3, 2023, 9:00 am – 11:00 amWhere: Penn State Scranton, Engineering Building Campus Drive, Dunmore, PA 18512 This forum will showcase how Penn State University is helping small-medium manufacturers (SMM) grow their Industry 5.0 workforce and advance their technologies using artificial intelligence. Presentations will feature examples of student/faculty engagement through university-industry partnerships with Penn State’s Center for Applications of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to Industry (AIMI), the Nittany AI Alliance, and Penn State Scranton’s Information Systems Technology (IST) and Mechanical Engineering programs. Participants will be asked to share their own needs to inform future partnership initiatives. Following the forum, Dr. Marwan Wafa, Penn State Scranton Chancellor, will host a tour of the new Engineering Building. Refreshments will also be provided. Who should attend: manufacturing industry executives, NEPIRC staff, educators, students, and other economic development professionals. Speakers include: Soundar Kumara, PhD, Allen, E., and Allen, M., Pearce Professor of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering and Director of the Center for the Applications of AI & ML to Industry (AIMI) Andy Gatto, Strategic Partner Manager of the Nittany AI Alliance Majid Chastaz, PhD, PE, Mechanical Engineering Program Coordinator at Penn State Scranton Fred Aebli, IT Program Co-Coordinator (Internships), Instructor/Advisor Penn State Scranton Don Webster, Facilitator. Executive Director, tecBRIDGE. About the Northeastern PA Technology, Economy, Community (TEC) Talks In partnership with local industries, non-profit organizations, Penn State faculty, and Penn State Commonwealth Campuses in Northeast Pennsylvania, PennTAP is hosting a forum series designed to spur discussion on emerging technologies and their potential to drive the regional economy, as well as identify use-inspired research and workforce education needs.
Penn State Scranton Announces Leadership Essentials Workshop Series WorkshopDateTimeCostRegistrationSetting the Stage for Excellent PerformanceCreate and maintain a motivational climate to help employees understand and meet expectations.Thursday,9/7/239 a.m. to 12 p.m.$89 discounts availableTo register call 570-963-2600Clarifying Expectations and Observing PerformanceFocuses on preparing a supervisor to handle the “front-end” management responsibilities. Thursday,9/21/239 a.m. to 12 p.m.$89 discounts availableTo register call 570-963-2600Coaching and Providing FeedbackKey role of a supervisor is to provide feedback. Learning to give appropriate feedback and coaching and recognizing how to best deliver it.Thursday,10/5/239 a.m.to 12 p.m.$89 discounts availableTo register call 570-963-2600Dealing with Challenging Performance SituationsFocus is on helping to respond with greater skill and confidence when confronting off-target performance.Thursday,10/12/239 a.m. to 12 p.m.$89 discounts availableTo register call 570-963-2600Growth Mindset and Goal SettingDevelop a detailed plan for success with the mindset to support growth by opening your mind to the possibilities the new year can bring.Thursday, 11/2/239 a.m. to 12 p.m.$89 discounts availableTo register call 570-963-2600
