Information on the DVD and Photos
Graduating seniors will receive a DVD containing a recording of the program as well as photos. 
To view the photo gallery or to order professional prints from the photographer, click here.

Penn State Brandywine held Spring Commencement for approximately 100 students on Saturday, May 19,  in the Commons/Athletic Center. Elizabeth "Jo" Buckmaster, the lone original faculty member from the opening of Penn State Brandywine in 1967 still teaching on campus, delivered the commencement address.

Elizabeth "Jo" Buckmaster has taught at Penn State Brandywine since it opened in a converted fish market in Chester way back in 1967. From her job interview, to which the Kansas native brought her four young children, to the time a student took the no- homework excuse a step too far by declaring her grandmother had died twice in the span of a couple of weeks, Buckmaster has had a slew of interesting experiences during her time on campus.

Four decades ago, she never would have guessed she'd still be here in 2007, the only original faculty member still teaching at Penn State Brandywine. The building long ago moved from Chester to a newly built facility in Media.

"When I started at Penn State Brandywine (Campus Executive Officer) John Vairo encouraged his faculty to think about the vision of the campus in the year 2000 and I, like a typical cynical 25-year-old, thought 'yeah, right pal. I'll be lucky to live that long,'" said Buckmaster, who will retire at the end of June. "Forty years is a long time in any job, but my time at Penn State Brandywine has certainly been a fun journey. For me, my fondest memories are of the students. They are a treat to be around."

Since she has seen and done just about everything since the campus' inception, it's only fitting that Buckmaster deliver the commencement address at Penn State Brandywine's Spring Commencement.

Buckmaster talked about the campus at its inception and through the years, and read a poem titled "Happiness" by Jane Kenyon.

Buckmaster, assistant professor of English, is one of four Penn State Brandywine professors to have earned the Milton S. Eisenhower Award for Distinguished Teaching, an honor she earned in 1996. Chancellor Sophia Wisniewska said 40 years teaching and observing at the campus make Buckmaster a fine choice to speak at commencement.

"Elizabeth has devoted her time and energies to the campus community for four decades, and she has seen the campus grow from a modest, one-building campus of 260 students, to a bustling campus with four buildings and 1,700 students," said Wisniewska. "I can't think of anyone who could do a better job speaking on behalf of the campus and wishing our students well as they head off into the next phase of their lives than Elizabeth Buckmaster. It also gives us one last opportunity to appreciate what she means to the campus community."

The event was broadcast live over the Internet. A recording of the event and a photo gallery will become available soon.

View the program. 

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Hands-on workshops included "Let's Make Silly Putty" and "Straw Wars," during which the girls learned about engineering and scientific principles from women who work in the math/science fields. 

Eva Cutler (left) of Garnet Valley Middle School, Glen Mills, and Stephanie Lesher of Assumption BVM School, West Grove, mix silly putty for an experiment.

As part of their final project in Dr. Macauley's Environmental Philosophy class, Raquel Silano and James Woodruff organized an Earth Day celebration for April 23, 2007. The event took place on the campus lawn near the Gazebo. Displays and information tables showed how important it is to recycle cans, bottles, and newspapers; reuse what we already have; and reduce the amount of waste and garbage we produce. There also were hybrid cars on display, including a Toyota Prius. Students, faculty, and staff learned how everyone can make a difference, and through support for common global goals, there is hope for the future.

View the web gallery of the event!

Check out Raquel's webpage for more information on how all of us can help.

Some of the events included:

• Display of an “environmentally-friendly” and fuel-efficient hybrid vehicle
• Give-away of recycling bins
•  Information tables and literature on environmental subjects
• “Ecological Footprint” tests that measure each person’s environmental impact on the planet
• Directions to the campus walking trail 
• Healthy food
• Energy-efficient light bulbs . . . and more.

The goal of the event was to educate and inform students, faculty and staff about environmental issues, problems and solutions; to share our ecological concerns and hopes; and to inspire others to responsible action.

Faculty eligible for nomination shall be "full-time faculty, including librarians of Penn State Brandywine". The criteria used for selection of the winner are "excellence and lasting impact in areas such as general teaching ability, scholarship, academic advising and career guidance, enthusiasm, and commitment".

Please take a few minutes of your time and submit a nomination for this prestigious teaching award.  The deadline for the submission of nominations for the 2007 Distinguished Teaching Award is May 21, 2007. The winner will be announced at the Fall 2007 Honors Convocation.

Submit your nomination today by visiting: http://db1.de.psu.edu/distinguished_teacher/.

Penn State Brandywine student leaders volunteer many hours of their limited free time to enhance the student life experience and to help build community here on campus.  These leaders were honored at Leadership Recognition night, on April 25, in the Tomezsko Classroom Building Lounge. Many members of the campus community, family, and friends attended the ceremony/reception to celebrate the campus' student leaders.

Student Leadership Awards for 2006-2007

Sean Nichols
Eric A. and Josephine S.  Walker Award (University-Wide Award)
This award is given annually to full-time undergraduate students from each of the campus locations.  The Walker award recognizes a student whose outstanding qualities of character, scholarship, leadership, and citizenship have been directed into programs and services that have positively influenced fellow students and have contributed to the prestige and well-being of their campus and, hence, to the reputation of the University as a whole.

Ryan Whittington and Matthew Voigt
Outstanding Student Service to Campus and Community Award
Recognizes a student who has given outstanding service to the campus and community through volunteering their time by assisting others or impacting the lives of others, thereby gaining positive recognition for him/herself and for the campus. 

Crystal Paulino
Barbara Jackson-Williams Award for Cross-Cultural Understanding
Recognizes a student who has clearly demonstrated that individual differences are valuable and that learning about others who are culturally different is necessary and rewarding;  who has shown the ability to gain the trust and respect of individuals who are culturally different from themselves;  who has initiated programming efforts involving multicultural issues at Penn State Brandywine; or who has provided outstanding service in a variety of cultural student organizations at Penn State Brandywine.

Heather Cuthbert
Outstanding Adult Student Award
Recognizes an outstanding adult student (age 24+) at this campus who demonstrates        initiative, tenacity and flexibility in overcoming obstacles to furthering his/her                education;  who serves as a role model for other adult students by sensitizing the institution to the needs of adult students and by establishing him/herself as a leader in the peer group;  who achieves academic excellence as measured by cumulative GPA;  and whose clearly defined short and long term goals reflect the values and ideals of higher education. 

THON
Student Club/Organization of the Year
Recognizes a student club or organization that has shown exceptional involvement throughout the year.  This club/organization was active in recruiting new members and keeping them engaged and involved.  This club/organization contributed to the quality of student life and promoted campus involvement. 

"Take Back the Night"  HDFS Club
Outstanding Program or Event of the Year
Recognizes a program or event, sponsored by a student club/organization that enhanced the quality of student life by promoting campus community and Penn State pride.  This program should demonstrate creativity, uniqueness, and inclusion. 

Katherine Meehan - HDFS Club
Club/Organization Adviser of the Year
Recognizes a faculty or staff member that volunteers their time to serve as a club/organization adviser.  This adviser has shown that they are truly engaged in the activities and mission of the student organization and are committed to enhancing the student life experience.  The recipient of this award should be serving in the role of an adviser that goes beyond the expectations of their job duties. 

Paul Hurych
Student Government President Award

View the web gallery of the event.

Penn State Brandywine's EURECA (Exposition of Undergraduate Research Enterprise and Creative Accomplishment) was held on Thursday, April 19, in the campus' John D. Vairo Library. 

EURECA gives undergraduates an opportunity to conduct research, which is a valuable component to their education, taking it beyond traditional textbook, reading-it-in-a-book type of education to a more hands-on, practical level.

Working with individual faculty members on their research provides a unique opportunity for undergraduates to be introduced to the community of scholars and to begin to use the basic principles used to make new discoveries and develop new theories. The exposition gives students an opportunity to present what they have done, and the responsibility to be able to explain it and defend it. Students from all academic disciplines participate.

Penn State Brandywine students Meghan Freda and Chris Wrigley, both of whom are majors in Elementary Education in Multicultural Settings, earned honors at the Student Pennsylvania State Education Association (SPSEA) Convention on April 13-14 in King of Prussia. Freda, a senior from Swarthmore, and Wrigley, a senior from Cochranville, earned first place and third place, respectively, for the learning centers they created and submitted to the convention. Freda's learning center focused on the four components of the water cycle, while Wrigley's addressed attributes of mammals.

The Penn State Brandywine students created the math/science learning centers as a project for Associate Professor Pat Van Leuvan's "ELEDM 403: Using Math and Science Knowledge in Multi-Cultural Settings" course during the fall 2006 semester. These learning centers, which are clusters of activities designed to support a specific theme, provide an introduction, enrichment or reinforcement for lessons previously taught in the student interns' field placement classrooms, in this case Overbrook Elementary School in Philadelphia.

Kevin Reigner, of Brookhaven, another senior majoring in Elementary Education in Multicultural Settings, serves as president of the Southeast Region of the SPSEA, and helped plan the convention.

To view the photo gallery or to order professional prints directly from the photographer, click here.

Over 160 students at Penn State Brandywine were honored for academic achievement at the campus' annual Spring Honors Convocation on Wednesday, April 11, in the John D. Vairo Library. Eighty-three freshmen and over 75 upperclassmen were recognized for outstanding grade point averages in their field of study, with 11 students receiving major awards.

The program was highlighted with the announcement of Kathy Meehan, instructor in human development and family studies, and Charles Helou, professor of mathematics, as recipients of two prestigious awards.

During the ceremony, Campus Director of Academic Affairs George Franz announced that Charles Helou, professor of mathematics, has earned the University's Teresa Cohen Mathematics Service Award. This award is presented annually to two full-time mathematics professors from throughout the Penn State University system for exemplary service to students and the department. Helou will receive the award during a ceremony at University Park on April 17.
 
The Teresa Cohen Mathematics Service Award marks the second major honor this year for Helou, of West Chester, who also netted the campus' Distinguished Teacher Award during Penn State Brandywine's Fall Honors Convocation. He has taught at Penn State Brandywine, in Media, since 1988.
 
"This comes as no surprise because Charles has won university and campus teaching awards in the past, and he has an international reputation for his research," said Franz. "As a campus, we are proud of this achievement and thrilled to have a teacher like Charles on the faculty."
 
On the same evening, Kathy Meehan, Instructor of Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS), was awarded the Madlyn Hanes Faculty Award, given annually to recognize a full-time faculty member of Penn State Brandywine who has made outstanding contributions to the campus community through exceptional achievements in teaching, research, scholarship, creative activity, or service.
 
Meehan, of Chadds Ford, has taught at Penn State Brandywine since 1999. In addition to teaching, she supervises the HDFS Internship Program and assists with the campus' Minor in Civic and Community Engagement.
 
"Kathy puts a great deal of energy and passion into everything she does, and it shows in the achievement of her students," said campus Chancellor Sophia Wisniewska. "She is a very worthy recipient of the Hanes Award, one of the most significant we offer to faculty at Penn State Brandywine." 

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The Penn State Brandywine Lady Lions went from 1-18 Johnson's freshman year to a 20-5 mark in this, her final season. The rest of the victorious squad includes Megan Russo, Katie Martin, Samantha Matthews, Tiesha Dunlop, Athena Nikolos, Tiffany Raggins-Morris, and Comfort Ibare-Jones. Larry Johnson coached the Lady Lions to the championship, which marked the school's first PSUAC title in eight years. Megan Kasmer serves as assistant coach. The team earned a shot at the title by defeating Penn College by a score of 66-35 in the semifinals, also at University Park.

Cara Zibelman receives the game ball after scoring her 1000th point.

Penn State Brandywine hosted its First Annual Service Exchange for area high school students on Friday, March 2, in the campus gymnasium. The event gave students an opportunity to showcase their volunteering efforts, and meet with representatives from local volunteering organizations to improve their community connections and explore new opportunities. There also were workshops offering tips on enhancing various volunteering skills, including effective letter writing.

Guest speaker for the Service Exchange was Barbara Shaiman, founder and executive director of Champions of Care, a non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging young people to take active roles in improving their communities. The event was organized by Penn State Brandywine's Center for Civic and Community Engagement--which encourages students to get involved in the community and provides the skills necessary to do so effectively--and sponsored by Crozer-Keystone Health System. To learn more about the Civic and Community Engagement minor at Penn State Brandywine go to community.de.psu.edu/.

View the web gallery of the event!

Press Contact: David Jwanier, Penn State/Philadelphia Region, 610-648-3316.

Many foreign students come to this country and "ace" high school, only to find that their limited English speaking skills and knowledge of the culture don't cut it in college.

"Our Generation 1.5 students -- immigrant students who grow up between two cultures, living their native culture at home and participating in their adopted culture at school -- are somewhat familiar with contemporary American culture; however, they are often unprepared to face the academic and social challenges of the American higher education system," said Myra Goldschmidt, associate professor of English at Penn State Brandywine. "Because of their unique status -- they're not recent immigrants nor mainstream, second-generation American students -- they often fall through the cracks and find it difficult to succeed in college."

Penn State Brandywine is typically one of the most diverse among Penn State campuses, with students from more than 50 countries of origin. To aid some of these students in their quest to earn a college degree, Goldschmidt and Norma Notzold, director of the Learning Center on campus, along with a handful of students working in the Learning Center, launched the American Studies Course Cluster at Penn State Brandywine six years ago.

The American Studies Course Cluster is a six-course, for-credit program that focuses on English language skills and American culture. The overarching goal is to provide Generation 1.5 students with the tools they need to bridge their communities and mainstream American society. Once students complete the one-semester program, they matriculate as any other student would at Penn State Brandywine. However, they are not left to fend for themselves entirely.

"We have a support system in place that enables these students to go to the Learning Center throughout their time at Penn State, whether it's to brainstorm about a paper, prepare for an exam or work on homework assignments," said Goldschmidt, who has written several articles on Generation 1.5 and made presentations at conferences around the world, including Oxford University in England. "I get so excited about this program because it makes a big difference in the lives of these students. They truly believe that they can successfully complete their college education and realize their dreams."

Students who have completed the American Studies Course Cluster agree that the program has helped them succeed in college.

"I may want to learn about America and how to communicate with Americans or I might decide I don't want to, but the fact is that I have to be able to communicate with all people around me," said Kristine Quiambao, 20, a sophomore health science student from Upper Darby. She moved to the United States from the Philippines five years ago. "I know there are times when people from other countries are shy and don't want to communicate with American people because it's difficult, but this program has helped me overcome that fear."

Dong-Ya Zhou, a 19-year-old freshman business student from Philadelphia, completed the American Studies Course Cluster last fall. She said the program taught her a great deal about the American culture -- for instance, that Americans appreciate "cleanliness, convenience and comfort" -- and that the continued support she receives from the Learning Center is vital to her success.

"The Learning Center helps you with papers, and math if you're not doing so well. I use it all the time," she said. "It's great to know there are services on campus to help you if you're having a hard time."

Quiambao said the support she receives extends past any type of special treatment to a community atmosphere that exists on the Penn State Brandywine campus.

"I like the campus very much. Because you don't have many students in your classes, you can really focus and ask questions, and the professors are always willing to help," she said.

Learning about culture, of course, is a two-way street. That's why these students host a Multicultural Day on campus during the fall semester, during which they dress in clothing from their native country, provide ethnic foods, etc., so that the campus community can gain a better understanding of their cultures.

"We welcome all students with the desire to learn to our campus, and we are very proud of the diversity that exists among our students. It's critical that students learn to communicate and appreciate people from all backgrounds if they are to be successful in an increasingly global work environment," said Penn State Brandywine Chancellor Sophia Wisniewska.

Thus far, approximately 150 students have completed the American Studies Course Cluster at Penn State Brandywine, and many of them have earned bachelor's degrees. The program is being used as a prototype at Penn State York campus, as well as several out-of-state colleges.

For information, contact Myra Goldschmidt at (610) 892-1465.

Michael DeRosa was named recipient of the 2006 Distinguished Service Award from the Eberly College of Science. The award, sponsored by the college alumni society, was established in 1979 to recognize individuals who have made exceptional leadership and service contributions to the college.

DeRosa is professor of chemistry at Penn State's Delaware County campus. He joined Penn State as an associate professor in 1989 and was named full professor in 1994. Prior to joining Penn State, he was a faculty member at the Universidad Simon Bolivar in Caracas, Venezuela, from 1975 to 1989, and was a member of the U.S. Peace Corps from 1973 to 1975. He received his bachelor's degree in 1964 from the City College of the City University of New York. He completed his doctorate degree in 1974 from the Brooklyn College of the City University of New York.

DeRosa was honored with the Penn State Lion's Paw Award in 2001 and received the Commonwealth College Outstanding Research Accomplishment Award in 2002. An innovative teacher in the classroom, he received a Project Empower grant in 1995 to introduce technology and collaborative learning in his chemistry classes and has collaborated in multidisciplinary undergraduate research projects with faculty in biology, engineering, and chemistry. He has been involved in efforts to obtain funding for a multidisciplinary science studio to enable the sharing of technology for the teaching of physics, chemistry and biology laboratories. He is well known as a mentor who empowers his students. He has been involving undergraduate students in his research for more than 25 years, giving students the opportunity to experience first-hand the rigors and rewards of research. His professional affiliations include membership in the American Chemical Society, the International Society of Heterocyclic Chemistry, and the Council on Undergraduate Research.

Along with DeRosa, Amy Leddy, advising program coordinator and premedicine adviser in the Eberly College of Science's Advising Center and John Roe, professor of mathematics and head of the Department of Mathematics at the University Park campus were also recipients of the award.

"We do not write or proofread student papers, but we will help them understand the assignment, brainstorm ideas, evaluate the thesis and ensure the paper flows," said Pamela Main, Writing Center director, who was primarily responsible for conceiving and developing the idea of a Web-based learning center. "We also assist students in editing and/or documenting their work."

Staff members provide regular reports to faculty members on the students seeking assistance. At this point in time, the LION OWL is open five nights a week, generally from 7 to 11 p.m. Students must log in by 10:30 p.m. in order to get a response that same evening. Sessions typically last from 30 to 40 minutes, depending on use by other students. The LION OWL is accessible to students through the University's ANGEL course management system. For information on the "LION OWL" at Penn State Brandywine go to http://www.de2.psu.edu/academics/writingcenter/owl/ online.

Two are single author volumes. 

The first, just published in December, is "Paper Children," containing 45 poems by Mariana Marin which Sorkin translated with four Romanian collaborators, as well as some without co-translator. The dual-language, 144-page book in the East European Poets Series of Ugly Duckling Presse, Brooklyn, N.Y., has an introduction by Sorkin and a preface by Nina Cassian. Marin was an important dissident voice of the 1980s under the communist dictatorship and continued publishing until her death in 2003 at the age of 47.

The second, "The March to the Stars," contains 35 by Mihai Ursachi, two-thirds of which were translated by Sorkin with Ursachi as his co-translator. Sorkin also wrote the introduction. Publication of the 78-page book was in Bucharest and New York by Vinea Press, 2006. Mihai Ursachi was a major Romanian poet of the last third of the 20th century. After an attempt to escape Romania in the early 1960s while he was still a philosophy student at the University of Iasi, Ursachi became a political prisoner in the 1960s. He defected to the United States in the 1980s but returned to Romania to great acclaim after the December 1989 revolution. Ursachi was Romania's Nobel Prize nominee in literature in 2001.

The third is an anthology, "Born in Utopia: An Anthology of Modern and Contemporary Romanian Poetry," of which Sorkin is principal translator. Edited by Carmen Firan and Paul Doru Mugur with Edward Foster and published in Jersey City by Talisman House, the 355-page book contains 66 poets, of whom Sorkin, with various co-translators, translated works by 35.

The campus, through the efforts of Elizabeth Dudkin, associate professor of biology, and Robert Black, professor emeritus of biology, has sent more than 15 students to Paris during the past five years to work and study with Margaret Ahmad, visiting assistant professor of biology at Penn State Brandywine. Ahmad teaches occasional courses at Penn State Brandywine and also works with students at her laboratory at the University of Paris, where she does groundbreaking research on blue-light receptors in plants.

Thanks to Ahmad's research, which has been aided by Penn State Brandywine students, the scientific community is aware that many aspects involving the growth of plants, including when they germinate and when they flower, is controlled by the amount of blue light to which they are exposed. Plants see blue light using special visual pigments, and if these are mutated, then the plants may exhibit different growth patterns. By cloning blue-light-sensing genes and making changes in them that improve how they work, gardeners can use this technology to grow the perfect lawn or garden for example, she said.

In addition to studying how blue-light receptors affect plants, Ahmad said the research is slowly moving into the study of animals. For example, she recently authored a paper examining the impact blue-light receptors may have on the migration of birds. In humans, Ahmad said we have an internal clock that tells us when it's time to go to sleep and time to wake up, and that blue-light receptors may be essential to this process. She plans to study this relationship more closely in the future.

When students from Penn State Brandywine go to Paris to participate in this research, their education goes well beyond the walls of the research lab. These students typically live in the center of one of the world's great cultural destinations for one month to several months. Students who do really well in the research environment often return later for longer periods. Some find their way into research facilities at Oxford, and other famous European colleges and universities.

Sarah Burney, a former Penn State Brandywine student who graduated from the University in 2005 with a bachelor of science degree in biochemistry and molecular biology, spent a month doing scientific research as part of this program in 2002, and returned this past summer. Burney, who currently works in Ahmad's lab as a grad student at the University of Paris, said the experience opened up many career opportunities for her.

"Since I had not only (research) experience but international experience, it was very easy for me to get whatever science job I wanted while in college. The choice to do the program has greatly impacted my career, since I decided to stay and carry on in a Ph.D program here," said Burney, who hails from West Chester. "It was fascinating to explore another culture, and of course, Paris is an extremely lively and gorgeous city. You learn much more than science when you are living abroad. I can see Notre Dame from my apartment window."

How many commuter campuses anywhere provide such opportunities?

"If a student comes to Paris and exhibits the ability and passion for the research, then there's good reason to believe that they will be researchers for life," said Ahmad, who will be crossing the ocean to teach at Penn State Brandywine later this month. "These students are engaged in high-level, important research, and for the most part, they do a fantastic job."

Ahmad isn't the only one at Penn State Brandywine doing interesting, potentially groundbreaking research. Dudkin and John Tierney, associate professor of chemistry, have been working with students for years creating novel compounds and checking their activity when interacting with bacteria. Recently, they found something that really got their attention.

"Recently we tested one of a series of compounds with a subtle structural variation, which didn't interact with bacteria at all," said Tierney, who noted that this particular compound was made about five years ago. The research, in general, began many years before that with the aid of the late campus biology professor Jane Cooper. "Elizabeth (Dudkin) thought that was very unusual; that if it didn't react with bacteria, it would probably affect mammalian cells in some way."

The Penn State Brandywine contingent shipped the compounds to Robert Farrell, assistant professor of biology at the Penn State York campus, and while doing the testing, he made an amazing discovery: One particular class of compounds shut down mammalian tumor cells almost immediately.

"I had wanted to test these compounds for years, but I had no idea that any would do this," said Tierney, who recently earned the 2006 Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching in Chemical Science, sponsored by the Philadelphia Section of the American Chemical Society and Merck & Co. "It's too early to say, but if more testing proves the viability of this compound, the University could choose to patent it."

While the news was good, Tierney warned that it's much too early to make any significant claims, especially since the compounds haven't been tested yet to ensure they won't harm good cells in the body.

Like Ahmad, Tierney and Dudkin have involved many of their students in this potentially important research, publishing several articles co-written with them during the past few years. They plan to publish the results of testing this current batch of compounds in the near future.

"One of the most satisfying things about doing this research has been getting our students involved. Having it done with undergraduate student input is very important to me," said Tierney. "The students spend hours and hours prepping the lab and learning about the physical methods of doing research, so they really get excited when they are on the ground floor of a discovery."

Doug Sheridan, formerly of West Chester and a postdoctoral fellow at Yale University, said of participating in this research as a Penn State Brandywine student back in 1997 and 1998: "It not only gave me my first research opportunity, but John mentored me both in and out of the classroom, and encouraged me to present my research results. It laid the foundation for my entire career."