The FAFSA webinars will be conducted by Jessica Petrie, financial aid coordinator at Penn State York. Those who wish to participate can log in to the meeting from any computer by visiting the website.

“The webinars will break the FAFSA down into seven easy steps and answer questions such as what information is needed to complete the application, common errors made, and other helpful tips,” said Petrie.

For more information please contact the Penn State York Student Aid Office at (717) 771-4045.

Eating their vegetables, working out, getting sleep, and cutting down on caffeine and sugar are just a few things Penn State York students Kaitlyn Dunbar, 19, and Joe Weaver, 18, are doing as they get ready to head to University Park to represent the campus in the 40th Annual Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON), “Brighten Every Journey,” set for Feb. 17 – 19 at the Bryce Jordan Center (BJC).

The two dancers were chosen to represent Penn State York based on a variety of criteria including spirit points they earned since September by doing a variety of activities to raise funds for THON. THON, as the dance marathon is affectionately known, is the largest student-run philanthropy in the country and its goal is to raise money to help fight pediatric cancer.
 
In addition to raising money, through THON, the campus sponsors the Hagens family. Ava Hagens, a 4-year-old from York, Pa., was diagnosed on July 24, 2009, with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). Since that time she has undergone a variety of treatments and recently completed her chemotherapy and is in remission. This is her third trip to THON along with her parents Jessica and Greg.

Members of York’s THON Committee have provided lots of encouragement for Ava with visits, cards, toys, and plenty of emotional support. The group had a special birthday on campus for Ava in the fall when she turned age 4.

For York’s dancers, and members of the campus’ THON committee, the year has included a variety of fundraising efforts from taking part in canning weekends (soliciting donations) at several locations in and around the York area, a community night at a local retuarant, and several pasta dinners . Under the direction of York THON co-chairs Alana Lentz, 21, of Columbia, Pa., and Kara Smith, 21, of York, Pa., the group has been busy raising money, bonding, and preparing for THON weekend. Lentz and Smith have attended meetings at University Park to catch up on all the THON details, requirements, and expectations and then have shared that information in weekly meetings with the campus’ THON committee throughout the year.

Both Lentz and Smith have dedicated a tremendous amount of time to THON and have been involved since 2009. Both women are looking forward to THON weekend and spending time with the Hagens family, the dancers, and all those gathered to make a difference for children battling pediatric cancer.

THON, a year-round fundraising event, is the largest single donor to the Four Diamonds Fund, at the Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital in Hershey, Pa. The year culminates in a no sitting, no sleeping, two-day dance marathon. Since 1973, the students of THON have raised more than $78 million and have helped thousands of children and families fight pediatric cancer. Last year the event raised more than $9.59 million and broke its own record. The mission of THON is to conquer pediatric cancer by providing outstanding emotional and financial support to the children, families, researchers, and staff of the Four Diamonds Fund.

Dunbar, of York, Pa., is majoring in biology and is a 2010 graduate of Central York High School. She has wanted to be a dancer at THON ever since the first time she saw canners on the street corners of York seeking donations. Dunbar has been involved with THON for the past two years. She was in charge of finding places for students to can this year and used her previous experience to try and locate safe places for students to seek donations.

“I have always wanted to dance at THON and thought it would be the coolest thing to stay awake for 46 hours,” said Dunbar. “Those 46 hours are showing the kids that there is always hope.”

Dunbar’s biggest fear about THON is being able to mentally cope with the lack of sleep for 46 hours. She’s not concerned about being on her feet for that long because there are plenty of things to focus on during the weekend.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing the kids and families during THON weekend and knowing that what I’m doing is helping them cope with what is happening in their lives,” she said.

Weaver, of York, Pa., is majoring in physics and is a 2011 graduate of West York Area High School. He is excited to show his THON spirit and experience all the hard work of everyone coming together. He is also very thankful that as a first-year student he is able to dance.

“Most importantly, I want to help make a difference,” said Weaver. “Dancing at THON, helping the Four Diamonds Fund and kids with cancer, is one of the best ways to make a difference in the world.”

Weaver’s biggest concern is being able on dance for 46 hours which he calls “insanely hard.” Difficult or not, Weaver is quick to note that he is looking forward to seeing how much money is raised this year and watching how happy everyone is at the event. He has been involved in THON since last spring and can’t wait to see all the hard work pay off.

During THON weekend, more than 700 dancers and thousands of supporters come together at University Park in the hopes of one day finding a cure for pediatric cancer. Whether standing for 46 hours as a dancer, entertaining the crowd, taking care of the facility, or even sitting in the stands, every person at THON plays a small part in creating an amazing atmosphere of love, compassion, and understanding. This atmosphere inspires the students to fundraise throughout the year and tells the families of the Four Diamonds Fund that they have the care and support they need. This collective effort, involving more than 15,000 students, has become one of Penn State's greatest and most unifying traditions.

There’s still time to donate. The best way to be sure your donation is counted in time is to visit the campus or donate online at www.thon.org. Be sure to use the dropdown box and designate your donation for York and your donation will count toward the campus total.

Penn State York broke its own record last year by raising $17,160.71, the largest amount it has ever raised for THON and made it to the top 10 in fundraisers among the Penn State campuses. The highest total to date for York had been $13,485, raised in 2009.

Anyone interested in supporting the dancers from Penn State York can send checks made payable to:

Penn State York THON
c/o York Student Government Association
Penn State York
1031 Edgecomb Ave.
York, PA 17403

Please be sure to note York, Org. 170 in the memo line of the check. Checks sent to the local campus as well as online donations will be credited to the local dancers and then added to the final total at University Park.

Grammy award-winner Jonny Lang takes to the stage at the Pullo Family Performing Arts Center (The Pullo Center) at Penn State York on Friday, May 18, at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices are $52 and $39 and go on sale Friday, Feb. 10, at 10 a.m. Pullo Center members can order now. Penn State York students can purchase one ticket at the special price of $32 or $19. Tickets can be purchased at The Pullo Center Box Office, charge by phone at 717-505-8900, or at The Pullo Center website.

A professional musician since age 12, Lang rocketed from his hometown of Fargo, N.D., to international renown in his mid-teens. While kids his age were still playing high school gigs, he was touring with giants like the Rolling Stones and Aerosmith, trading licks with mentors like B. B. King and Buddy Guy, and being lauded by “U.S. News and World Report” for having “the voice of a grizzled blues veteran...and guitar skills to match.”

The Grammy-winning, former prodigy instrumentalist, who topped “Billboard” magazine’s new artist chart with his first album at age 15, stands now as a mature creative force, made more sensitive, yet also toughened by life’s adventures. He’s learned what it means to rise above hard times and to find meaning where chaos seemed to rule.

Lang’s new album, “Turn Around,” proves that unlike many one-time wonder kid performers, Lang has grown to exceed the expectations that heralded his ascendance. Produced by Ron Fair (Black Eyed Peas, Mary J. Blige, Counting Crows), energized through collaboration with songwriter/performers Drew Ramsey and Shannon Sanders, anchored and elevated by former Prince NPG rhythm dynamo Michael Bland, “Turn Around” is Lang’s fifth album – but it’s also the first of what will become his most moving and enduring works.

All faculty are eligible to be nominated except for recipients of the award in the past four years: Abdul Siddiqui and Gene Ellis (2008), Mark A. Casteel (2009), Harley Hartman and Frank Miller (2010), and Charles (Chuck) L. Kennedy and Judith K. McCormick (2011).
 
Two awards are given: one to a full-time faculty member and one to a part-time faculty member. Do not worry if you are unsure whether a faculty member is full-time or part-time, the Teaching Award Committee will divide the nominations accordingly.
 
This nomination form is for faculty who are teaching in fall 2011 and/or spring 2012.

Please make your nominations by using the online form, or print out the form and return your form to Toni Dumas, faculty staff assistant on the second floor of the M.S. Grumbacher Information Sciences and Technology Center (ISTC) or Christina Lee, staff assistant to the director of academic affairs in the Lee R. Glatfelter Library, by 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 24. Ask the staff assistant to place your nomination in Abdul Siddiqui’s mailbox.

The faculty member chosen for this award is selected by a committee of three former recipients of the award, plus two student members. This committee depends on nominations and supporting information that is provided by students.
 
Prior award recipients from the past three years, Ali Kara, Orsay Kucukemiroglu, and Harley Hartman; and staff in Advising and Career Development, Andrew Caldwell and Jane Emery, are not eligible for the award.

Nominations should be submitted using the online form, or print out the form and return it to Toni Dumas, faculty staff assistant on the second floor of the M.S. Grumbacher Information Sciences and Technology Center (ISTC) or Christina Lee, staff assistant to the director of academic affairs in the Lee R. Glatfelter Library, by 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 24. Ask the staff assistant to place your nomination in Ali Kara's mailbox.

 by 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 24, 2012.

Its peanut butter and jelly time once again at Penn State York and things are getting sticky. Penn State York hopes to have hundreds of pounds of peanut butter and jelly on campus by Feb. 29.  No, students, faculty, and staff aren't looking to make sandwiches but what they are doing is collecting the food for the York Salvation Army. Last year the campus collected about more than 300 pounds of the sandwich-makings and hope match or increase that amount this year.

The peanut butter and jelly collected goes to the after-school program through the Salvation Army.  About 100 children participate in the program each day and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are one of their favorite snacks.

Collection boxes are located in the Multicultural Center in the Joe and Rosie Ruhl Student Community Center and in the faculty lounges in the John J. Romano Administration Building and the M.S. Grumbacher Information Sciences and Technology Center.

Ann Fetterman, instructor in English and director of the writing lab at Penn State York, spearheads the peanut butter and jelly drive. The campus has been collecting peanut butter and jelly for the after-school program for a number of years.
To donate peanut butter and jelly, visit the campus and drop off a donation by Feb. 29. For more information, e-mail Fetterman or call (717) 771-4162.

ArcelorMittal Steelton and the United Steelworkers Local 1688, in partnership with Penn State Harrisburg and Penn State York, recently launched Steelworker for the Future in Central Pennsylvania. Steelworker for the Future is an associate degree program, along with advanced industrial credit certificates, designed to prepare students for high-tech, well-paying careers in the steel or manufacturing industry.

“Steelworker for the Future plays an important role in developing a skilled workforce that will continue to deliver on ArcelorMittal’s critical mission of producing safe, sustainable steel in the years to come,” said David Wirick, general manager, ArcelorMittal Steelton. “The program will promote the skills and experience needed by future employees, allowing them to succeed in today's manufacturing industry while advancing our workforce development efforts. Steelworker for the Future truly represents collaboration at its best – with industry and education working together to respond to a real-world challenge.”

Steelworker for the Future will guide students to earn an associate degree in mechanical engineering technology or electrical engineering technology from Penn State York and obtain four advanced certificates - Mechanical Engineering Technology Certificate I, Electrical Engineering Technology Certificate I, Advanced Industrial Mechanical Certificate, and Advanced Industrial Electrical Certificate - from Penn State Harrisburg.

Steelworker for the Future includes four semesters of classroom learning, and qualified students have the option of 12 weeks of paid training through summer internships on-site at ArcelorMittal.

“ArcelorMittal Steelton has a skilled and dedicated workforce. Many of our employees have spent 20, 30 or even 40-plus years with the mill. In fact, the average age of our Steelton employee is 53,” said Ray Napoli, President of United Steelworkers Local 1688. “The need for highly skilled workers, especially those with electrical and mechanical technical skills, continues to grow as manufacturing companies like ArcelorMittal face vacancies created by retirement. We are pleased to be a part of this exciting partnership to help shape the future of the next generation of steelworkers.”

While the program may result in a career at ArcelorMittal as a Maintenance Technician Electrical (MTE) or Maintenance Technician Mechanical (MTM), Steelworker for the Future is designed to provide individuals with the skills and experience that are desired by manufacturing companies throughout the region.

“Penn State has a commitment to educate the workforce of the future and collaborate with industry in preparing our students for the global marketplace,” said Dr. Robert Farrell, interim director of academic affairs at Penn State York. “Through programs like Steelworker for the Future that match  the needs of industry with the resources of academia, students will earn a degree and at the same time experience hands-on training to help prepare them for high-tech, well-paying jobs in the growing field of manufacturing. We are proud to partner with ArcelorMittal, the world's leading steel company.”

Today’s steelworkers must be technologically advanced and well-trained with a solid foundation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The success of Steelworker for the Future program depends upon effective connections with high schools, vocational programs and education partners in the region.

“I am pleased that Penn State Harrisburg is participating in this collaboration with ArcelorMittal and Penn State York to provide certificate programs for steel industry employees. This is a wonderful investment in the region, and builds on the strengths of each educational institution to meet the growing needs of one the world’s premiere steel companies,” said Dr. Mukund S. Kulkarni, chancellor of Penn State Harrisburg. 

Applications are currently being accepted for the Steelworker for the Future program at Penn State Harrisburg and Penn State York. ArcelorMittal Steelton expects to offer 12 internships for summer 2012. The partners expect to have approximately 30 students enrolled in the program by fall 2012. 

With support from Mohawk College in Ontario, Canada, ArcelorMittal launched Steelworker for the Future as a pilot program in June 2008 in partnership with Ivy Tech Community College (Ind.) and Prairie State College (Ill.). Currently, approximately 100 students are enrolled in the Northwest Indiana programs and 18 graduates are now ArcelorMittal employees.

Steelworker for the Future is currently available in the following U.S. locations:
    - Central Pennsylvania – Penn State Harrisburg and Penn State York 
    - Greater Cleveland  – Lakeland Community College
    - Greater Philadelphia - Delaware Community College
    - Northwest Indiana/Chicagoland – Ivy Tech Community College (Ind.) and Prairie State College (Ill.)
    - Ohio River Valley - Eastern Gateway Community College (Ohio) and West Virginia Northern Community College (W.Va.)

For more information, visit Steelworker for the Future Website.

Steelworker for the Future is one component of ArcelorMittal’s commitment to supporting STEM education initiatives while advancing the company’s workforce development efforts. In addition to Steelworker for the Future, ArcelorMittal supports STEM education initiatives in primary schools where it has local operations to help develop the leaders of tomorrow. ArcelorMittal also provides funding to 13 U.S. colleges and universities through its Campus Partnership Program in an effort to engage with young people interested in careers in the manufacturing sector.

About ArcelorMittal

ArcelorMittal is the world's leading integrated steel and mining company, with presence in more than 60 countries. ArcelorMittal is the leader in all major global steel markets, including automotive, construction, household appliances and packaging, with leading R&D and technology, as well as sizeable captive supplies of raw materials and outstanding distribution networks. With an industrial presence in over 20 countries spanning four continents, the Company covers all of the key steel markets, from emerging to mature.

Through its core values of sustainability, quality and leadership, ArcelorMittal commits to operating in a responsible way with respect to the health, safety and well-being of its employees, contractors and the communities in which it operates. It is also committed to the sustainable management of the environment. It takes a leading role in the industry's efforts to develop breakthrough steelmaking technologies and is actively researching and developing steel-based technologies and solutions that contribute to combat climate change.

In 2010, ArcelorMittal had revenues of $78.0 billion and crude steel production of 90.6 million tonnes, representing approximately 6 per cent of world steel output.

ArcelorMittal is listed on the stock exchanges of New York (MT), Amsterdam (MT), Paris (MT), Brussels (MT), Luxembourg (MT) and on the Spanish stock exchanges of Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid and Valencia (MTS). For more information about ArcelorMittal, visit their website.

About Penn State Harrisburg and Penn State York

Penn State Harrisburg and Penn State York are part of Penn State, an internationally known multicampus public research university that educates students from Pennsylvania, the nation, and the world.  As Pennsylvania’s land-grant university, through integrated programs of teaching, research, and service, Penn State provides unparalleled access to public service to support the citizens of the Commonwealth.  

The University engages in collaborative activities with industrial, educational, and agricultural partners here and abroad to generate, disseminate, integrate, and apply knowledge that is valuable to society.   Through an outstanding faculty of great distinction, Penn State boasts a long list of accomplishments which contribute enormously to the body of knowledge and creativity for social and economic betterment.

Since its founding in 1855, Penn State has offered well-rounded, world-class educational opportunities to prepare its students to build a stronger, better tomorrow.

Penn State Harrisburg is an undergraduate college and graduate school offering the first two years of more than 160 Penn State baccalaureate majors as well as 32 baccalaureate degrees, 2 associate degrees, 24 master’s programs, 3 doctoral degrees, and certificate and certification programs.  Contact Penn State Harrisburg at (717) 948-6520, visit their website, or follow them on Facebook.

Penn State York offers the first two years of more than 160 Penn State majors, 8 baccalaureate degrees, 6 associate degrees, 6 minors, and a master of education degree program in teaching and curriculum in partnership with Penn State Harrisburg.  The campus also offers a variety of continuing education programs both credit and noncredit.  Contact Penn State York at (717) 771-4040, visit the website, or follow them on Facebook.

For more information about admission to Penn State, visit the Penn State Harrisburg or Penn State York website.

“We have not seen a program like this anywhere else,” said Dennis Baughman, coordinator of the master of education in Teaching and Curriculum at Penn State York. “We are excited to be able to offer this multidisciplinary program.”

WellSpan contacted Baughman a year ago about developing a teaching and curriculum program for their employees, especially those who will participate in the simulation center at York Hospital. The number of medical simulation centers is expected to increase in the near future and with that will come an increased demand for directors for those centers. This new program will help train individuals to fill those jobs.

In addition to WellSpan, the Lancaster General College of Nursing and Health Services is also participating in the program.

The program consists of 10 three-credit courses, which focus on the latest educational research and development of teaching skills. Topics include data analysis, standards-based instruction, curriculum development, educational assessment, the learning-engaged community, and the use of high, intermediate, and low fidelity medical simulation technology and devices.

All students will complete a clinical simulation project which involves creating simulation curriculums and experiences. Faculty members will include practitioners with medical simulation experience and researchers.

For more information about the program, contact Baughman at (717) 771-8413 or e-mail him at dpb3@psu.edu.

Penn State York has been offering a master of education in Teaching and Curriculum for educators since 1994. The program in York is offered in partnership with Penn State Harrisburg.

“Any Other Word,” Penn State York’s literary E-zine, is now accepting submissions of fiction and poetry from the Penn State York community (students, faculty, and staff) for its sixth edition. Please submit essays, poetry, fiction, short stories or general prose by Saturday, March 31, 2012, for consideration in the upcoming publication. All submissions, along with any questions, should be addressed to Noel Sloboda, Ph.D., assistant professor in English and publication adviser, at njs16@psu.edu .

Any Other Word is a creative outlet for members of the Penn State York community and was created to showcase campus talents and unite artistic minds. Work on the first issue began in the fall of 2006. The publication can be read online.

Submissions published in the “Any Other Word” are selected by a board of directors who read all entries submitted and make selections. The student adviser has the final say on what is published. The publication takes its name from the quote by William Shakespeare, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet.”