Penn State McKeesport held its fall commencement at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 17, in Wunderley Gymnasium. Chancellor Curtiss E. Porter presided as diplomas were conferred to 35 individuals receiving baccalaureate and associate degrees. Keynote speaker was Verónica Montecinos.  Dr. Montecinos, associate professor of sociology joined the faculty at Penn State McKeesport in 1990 and served as division head for the Social Sciences and Education Division of the Commonwealth College. She is on sabbatical leave for the 2005-06 academic year to complete a book manuscript and other research projects. Dr. Montecinos has conducted several studies on the economics profession, technocratic politics and democratization in Latin America, and the gender dimension of public policies.  Montecinos earned her bachelor of arts degree from the Catholic University in Chile.  She possesses master of arts degrees in sociology and political science and a doctorate in sociology from the University of Pittsburgh.

• 7 Steps to achieving financial security
• Putting your money where your values are
• Figuring out where you stand financially
• Discovering the power of the 'Latte Factor '
• Building financial baskets for security, dreams and retirement

Although the title targets women, the ideas also apply to men, so please attend if you are interested.  The workshop is beneficial to everyone regardless of age, occupation, status or income level.  

For more information and to register for the seminar, conact Cheryl Sorentino at xcs2@psu.edu.

Galen Grimes, Assistant Professor of Information Sciences and Technology, was published in the April, 2005 issue of Network Security.

Grimes' article, "Network security managers' preferences for the Snort IDS and GUI add-ons," addresses the difficulties of using Snort, one of the most widely used Intrusion Detection System (IDS) products on the market, and the myriad of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) produced by Snort developers in an attempt to provide an easier way for network security managers to fully configure and use the program.

According to DataNerds, "Snort is a lightweight network intrusion detection system that can perform protocol analysis, content searching/matching and can be used to detect a variety of attacks and probes to a computer system."  Snort works on Linux, most UNIX platforms, and Windows.  While having the ability to detect more than 1200 different types of scans and attacks, it is tedious and difficult to use. 

The Network Security article explains the improvements made in front end user interfaces and how these interfaces have greatly expanded the use of Snort as the Intrusion Detection System of choice.  The user study which supported the article was a survey of 195 network security managers from US colleges and universities selected from 40 states and the District of Columbia.  The survey attempted to determine whether the network security administrators use Snort and any of the available add-on products and what factors contributed to their decision to use a particular add-on.

The article conclusions address the issues of which GUI front end add-ons to use, how network administrators are using the programs, on which platforms to address security needs, and how to simplify the overall operator efficiency and usability of the Snort sensors to guard against network attacks.

Mr. Grimes heads the Information Sciences and Technology program at the campus and has developed a course on network security for the University. 

The Festival of Trees will be held on December 2, 3, and 4 in Renziehausen Park, a city park adjacent to the campus.  The festival features holiday entertainment and a display of more than forty trees. Alumna Katherine Stamatelos will design the Penn State McKeeport tree that will be on view for an estimated 6,000 visitors. This year's theme is "Gem of the Valley" recognizing the campus' 50-plus year history in the region.

The Penn State McKeesport Alumni Society will sponsor its seventeenth annual Breakfast with Santa on Saturday, December 3 from 9:00 a.m. to noon in the Student Community Center at Penn State McKeesport.  The Society will host 100 children from the Mon-Valley area youth services agencies.

This event will include a delicious breakfast, lots of fun activities and entertainment, a visit with Santa, a photo to keep the memories, toys, candies and most of all lots of Christmas Magic for the little ones.  Funding for this event is made possible through donations from local area businesses, alumni, advisory board members, staff, faculty and friends of Penn State McKeesport.

According to Alumni Society Treasurer David Pasternak, "We look forward to coordinating this event each year. Our alumni volunteers really enjoy hosting the children and we appreciate the tremendous support provided by the campus and the community.”

Individuals interested in sponsoring a child may do so by sending a check earmarked for “Breakfast with Santa” to the Penn State McKeesport Alumni Society, 4000 University Drive, McKeesport, PA, 15132.

For more information, contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at 412-675-9048.

Absence has a blind submission policy, so each submission should be accompanied by a cover page with identifying information about the artist/author submitting the work. There is a 6 submission limit per person.

The fall deadline for submission is Friday, December 2, 2005. We encourage you to submit work electronically to Dr. Clifford Manlove at ctm10@psu.edu. Hard copies of work can also be submitted to Dr. Manlove at his office in 202 Main Building or to Marissa Sinisi in the ACE Department.

The Penn State McKeesport Student Government Association,  with the support of the administration, faculty, and staff at the campus, will host a Penn State Pep Rally this Thursday, November 17, from noon to 1:30 p.m.

The event will be held on the Buck Green between the Main Building and the Student Community Center. In case of inclement weather, activities will be moved indoors to the dining area of the SCC.

The event is planned to lend support to the Nittany Lion Football Team as they meet Michigan State at 4:00 p.m. Saturday in a make or break contest.   A win for Penn State will assure a Big Ten championship for the 2005 team and a bid to a BCS (Bowl Championship Series) game.

Show how far you can throw a football. Demonstrate how far you can kick a football. Come guess on the final score of Saturday's game. Prizes will be awarded to the winners. We will also honor the winners of the intramural football tournament and hear the sounds of the Penn State Blue Band.  We hope you can join us for the festivities this Thursday.  Be sure to wear white as Penn State McKeesport wants to host its own version of a "whiteout!"

Penn State McKeesport will host a Transfer Night and Adult Student Drop-in on Thursday, November 17, 2005 at 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. in the Frable Conference Center on the McKeesport Campus.

For more information or to make a reservation, please call the Student and Enrollment Services Office at 412-675-9010 or e-mail psumk@psu.edu.

Prospective students who have previous undergraduateacademic work can bring a copy of their transcripts and our admissions staff will perform an informal evaluation of the courses for transfer to Penn State.  The spring semester begins on Monday, January 9, 2006. 

Penn State McKeesport offers all four years of bachelor’s degrees in Business, Communications, Information Sciences and Technology, Organizational Leadership and Psychology as well as the first two years of 160 Penn State majors.  Classes are offered in both day and evening schedules.  A new associate degree in Nanofabrication Manufacturing Technology has increased two-year degree offerings which include Business Administration, Letters, Arts and Sciences, and Science.

2004 -2005 PSU - AC Western Division Champions

The Lions open up the season at California University of Pa. on Wed. Nov. 16 at 7:00 pm.

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• Apply on-line: http://www.psu.edu/admissions
  
  
• If you would like to inquire or express interest in our basketball program,
  contact Tim Keefer Head Basketball Coach at 412-675-9487
  or EMAIL: tak15@psu.edu
  
  
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The play, directed by Dr. Jay Breckenridge, is called "Shards of Wisdom: Folk Tales from Around Africa."

Penn State Greater Allegheny's Continuing Education department has received the Vice President’s Award for Excellent Service. The award honors Outreach faculty, staff, and technical-service employees who consistently demonstrate commitment to outstanding customer service.

Dr. Susan C. Lewis, director, Continuing Education at Penn State Greater Allegheny, upon receiving the award, stated “This is a great honor.  I am very proud of the continuing education team and their extraordinary efforts. It gives me a tremendous amount of pleasure to be a part of the team and to share this special award for outstanding performance.”

The team members are: Dr. Susan C. Lewis, Debra Killmeyer, Anthony Mitchell, Roxanne Daykon, Melanie Brletic and JeanMarie Jacob.

Criteria for eligibility for the Award for Excellent Service includes providing excellent customer service to both internal and external customers, inspiring clients to chose Penn State Greater Allegheny Continuing Education as their training provider, developing new processes and products to better serve customers, and providing consistent and thorough follow-up with current and potential customers.

The Vice President’s Award for Excellent Service was received at Penn State University at the annual Outreach conference on October 20, 2005.  A celebration will take place in the Ostermayer Room of the Penn State Greater Allegheny Student Community Center on Thursday, November, 10, 2005 at 12:15 p.m.

Penn State Greater Allegheny Continuing Education…Depend on us for training…personal, profession, corporate.

For more information, contact continuing education at 412-675-9040.

The French American Cultural Exchange has provided five French films for viewing during November at Penn State McKeesport. Mary Ellen Higgins, assistant professor of English, was instrumental in securing and selecting the films. "We are pleased that we have an opportunity to provide these fabulous multicultural films to our faculty, staff and students and to the general public. All of the films are recent; a few have only been released in select cities. Some films emphasize aesthetic innovations, while others delve into important cultural issues," said Higgins.

All films will be shown in the Ostermayer Room of the Student Community Center at Penn State McKeesport and are free to the public. For more information, call Academic Affairs at (412) 675-9140. The dates and times for all five films are listed below:

-- Tuesday, Nov. 1: 7 p.m., "Red Light," directed by Cedric Kahn. Antoine's wife has refused to accompany him to pick up their children at camp because of his reckless driving. Antoine picks up a spooky hitchhiker. The rest is a suspenseful story.

-- Thursday, Nov. 3: 7 p.m., "Grand Voyage," directed by Ismael Ferroukhi. Reda, a young student who lives in southern France, drives his father to Mecca. He does not speak Arabic and is indifferent to his father's religion. They travel through the landscapes of Italy, Serbia, Turkey, Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. The films contemplates cultural and generation differences and challenges current stereotypes.

-- Tuesday, Nov. 8: 4:30 p.m., "Chaos," directed by Coline Serreau. Helene and her husband Paul nearly run over an Algerian woman, Noemie, who is pursued by angry men. She is beaten into a coma, and Helen becomes fascinated with her. Noemie later wakens and recounts her life as a prostitute in France. It is a suspenseful story that also deals with women's rights.

-- Thursday, Nov. 10: 7 p.m., "Viva Laldjerie," directed by Nadir Mokneche. This film narrates the stories of three Algerian women. It will be part of the November Teaching Africa program. Goucern grapples with traditional and modern expectations for marriage. Sandjak is a former exotic dancer hiding from fundamentalists. Fifi is a prostitute with an interesting array of clients.

-- Tuesday, Nov. 15: 4:30 p.m., "Monsieur Ibrahim," directed by Francois Dupeyron. This is a story about an aging Muslim man, played by Omar Sharif, who adopts a Jewish boy. The film is set in the 1960s, and the characters witness the filming of Jean-Luc Godard's film, "Contempt." The pair travel to Turkey together and the boy learns about poetic and peaceful versions of Islam.

The film festival was made possible with the support of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy and the French Ministry of Culture.

At the close of the evening, participants and sponsors pledged $36,880 for scholarships. In the days following the fund total rose to more than $38,000 and the figure continues to rise.

“Everyone who worked on this event should be extremely proud,” said Chancellor Curtiss E. Porter.   “We did what we said we would do. We are going to help many students at a time when help is even more necessary and appreciated. Every dollar earned will translate directly into student scholarship support.”

Event Chairs Nancy Seifert and Nancy Traina and the All That’s Jazz Committee transformed the Student Community Center into a festival-like atmosphere. Over-sized sunflowers, tropical backdrops, South American travel posters, and Latin American fabrics adorned the building.  Posters featuring students who received scholarships as a result of last year’s event allowed guests to see how their gifts are helping support a diverse group of students.

The Carnegie Mellon University Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of David Pellow, performed Latin Jazz favorites on the William A. Seifert, Jr. stage.  Lily Abreu, a native of Brazil>, was the featured vocalist.  The Arbor Tribe performed in the Robert and Elizabeth Ostermayer Room.

Advisory Board President Ralph Papa led the sponsorship committee, which was responsible for securing underwriting. He was assisted by Joseph Hohman, immediate past president of the Advisory Board.  Advisory Board Members Dave Pasternak and Jerry Martz and the Auction Committee organized three different auctions: a Silent Auction, a Blue and White Auction where guests could purchase mystery boxes for $25 or $50, and a Live Auction. Martz, s WTAE-TV meteorologist, served as auctioneer.

Guests raved about the delicious Latin American menu served by Penn State McKeesport’s Housing and Food Service staff under the direction of Heidi Leiden.

“The event was successful in raising awareness of the importance of providing more scholarship assistance to our students,” said Pat Quinn Winter, director of Institutional Advancement.

“Scholarship funds have become increasingly important to our students and their families. These funds can make the difference between students staying in college or having to make some hard decisions about their futures,” said Penn State McKeesport Chancellor Curtiss E. Porter, Ph.D.

Approximately three-quarters of Penn State students receive some sort of financial aid (including loans)-- up from 66% in 1995.  About one-half of the students enrolled at the campus represent the first generation in their family to attend college and many depend on grants, loans, and scholarships to pay for their education.

Honorary Committee Members included: Arthur L. Baldwin, Suzy and Jim Broadhurst, Esther Bush, Franco Harris, Thomas Hollander, George L. Miles, Jr., Tony Mowad, The Honorable Daniel Onorato, Sylvester Pace, William E. Strickland, Jr. and Doris Carson Williams. Underwriters of All That’s Jazz include Hosts: Citizens Bank, Nancy Seifert, and Nancy and John Traina; Benefactors: Elizabeth Carbide Die Co., Inc., General Trade Corporation, Mark R. Gruskin, John and Jean Neel, Resource Development Management, Inc., H.B. South Printers, and UPMC McKeesport.  Sponsors also include Event Patrons: Alpern Rosenthal, Mrs. Nadine Bognar, Judy and Tom Bruney, Directed Electronics, Eat ’n Park Hospitality Group, Edward and Dorothy Datemasch, Jendoco Construction Company, George and Ann Kemp, John Keyes of Tube City-IMS,  Dr. and Mrs. Michael Kutsenkow, Chris and Carolyn Maricondi, Mon Yough Chamber of Commerce, Vic and Patty Orler, Larry Ostermayer, Ralph J. and Ruth Anne Papa, Bill and Lydi Poller, Dr. Curtiss E. Porter, Riverside Care Center, Dr. Margaret Signorella, Gary L. and Sharen A. Thomas, and Pat and Jay Winter.

Anyone interested in donating to the Penn State McKeesport Scholarship Fund can learn more by calling the Office of Institutional Advancement at 412-675-9048.

Dr. James Stewart, Professor of African and African American Studies and Labor and Industrial Relations,  will highlight the changes and continuities between Apartheid and post-Apartheid South Africa during his campus presentation on Tuesday, October 25 in the Frable Conference Center, Room 117.   Dr. Stewart 's slide presentation and discussion on the subject will be personalized by his own experiences,  gained during his visits to South Africa in the 1980's and 1990's.
 
The presentation, entitled "South Africa Apartheid:  A Personal Experience," is part of the Teaching Africa Speakers Series.  Dr.  Stewart will also discuss the challenges in implementing the South African equivalent of "Affirmative Action" as  compared to the United States.
 
Penn State McKeesport,  having official "international" designation by the University,  has included Africa as the focus of its 2005 curriculum.

Dr. Stewart's presentation is open to the campus and the community.

The last generation used diaries as a method of expressing their private thoughts on romance and the social problems that impacted their lives. Diaries were often locked and regarded as "top secret" by the author.   In today's world, many adolescents use the internet as a public setting to express their supposedly private feelings and experiences.  After reading a few articles about this new method of teenage expression and checking out a few websites, Penn State Associate Professor, Elizabeth Mazur, decided to use the internet as a hand-on way for her undergraduates to study adolescent behavior. 

As part of her Adolescent Psychology (PSY 426) class, Dr. Mazur has introduced her students to the world of blogging.  Blogs, short for “web logs,” are online journals, personal commentaries posted by the author,  which usually are updated on a regular basis.  Newspapers estimate that 6,000,000 people posted their blogs on the internet in 2004.  Of these bloggers, 51%, or approximately 3,060,000, were  adolescents between the ages of  13 and 19.  

Dr. Mazur and her students analyze blogs as one type of source material for understanding and learning about the adolescent world.  As one of the class's activities, Dr. Mazur’s students examine blogs to gather primary data on adolescent relationships (friends, romantic interests, family conflicts, etc.) and the emotions which accompany those relationships.  Students are also asked to consider the importance of blogs as part of both current teen culture and their use of the Internet.  Finally, the students in Psychology 426 are asked to analyze the blogs as a specific type of media. 

Within one of Penn State McKeesport’s connected classrooms, PSY 426 students search for informative teen blogs and analyze why the adolescent is using the blog as a means of expression, their appeal for the writer and reader, and the drawbacks of this form of communication.  Students consider whether blogs will be a passing or a permanent phenomenon.    Most importantly, students examine the blogs’ content; for example,  what are the most common, surprising, and distressing topics that the teenagers write about?

Dr. Mazur's PSY 426 students have found that the most popular topics are romance, friends, sex, pop culture, parents, and school.  Students were surprised and somewhat distressed by the fact that many bloggers described in meticulous detail frequent romantic relationships and sexual activities.  Some PSY 426 students noted was that many bloggers include photos and personal information….a dangerous invitation, perhaps, for online harassment and offline stalking.  The "inconsistent" lives and thought process of some of the bloggers was noted by the Penn State students, in particular, "how everyday life can be so complicated for some people and happy for others."

When asked to evaluate this new teaching method, 92% of the PSY 426 students agreed that the activity increased their knowledge of adolescent use of the Internet.  Students also commented on their surprise at how willing teens were to express their innermost feelings, but added that the comments might have been posted online “because they don't expect adults to read them."  It was also noted by the class participants that they felt the activity gave them the opportunity to delve into the lives of adolescents and compare differences and similarities between the various teen commentaries.  

Dr. Mazur's findings on her PSY 426 learning activity were recently published in Teaching of Psychology.   In the article entitled "Online and Writing:  Teen Blogs as Mines of Adolescent Data,"  Dr. Mazur discusses the possibilities and limitations of blog analysis.  Blogs, according to Dr. Mazur, "constitute a new type of community that transcends geography, one with a relaxed sense of privacy and a large amount of both self-chronicling and often supportive responses."   Instructors, Mazur believes, could modify her analysis of teen blogs to study other topics such as adolescent egocentrism, the development of self understanding, gender stereotypes, and gender roles, as well as issues of adult development.   One limitation of using blogs as a resource, however, is that there are relatively few lower income families and African Americans in the mix.  Adolescents who are black or from families with annual incomes of $30,000 or less are less likely to have use of computer equipment and thus less likely to be blog journalists.    Dr. Mazur has been using the blog analysis learning activity since Summer, 2003. 

Overall, students in PSY 426 enjoyed their intimate look into the lives of teenagers.  Even though most of the college age students are close in age to the bloggers, the students were amused and sometimes surprised by the bloggers’ perspective on life..   Going back and looking at life through an adolescent's viewpoint was enlightening to members of the class and according to one student, "gave them a whole different perspective on adolescence."  

"Country Lovers," a short story by Nadine Gordimer, will be the subject of a common reading in the Ostermeyer Room of the Student Community Center on Thursday, October 13 at 12:15 p.m.  Dr. Mildred Mickle, Assistant Professor of English, will be conducting the reading as part of the Teaching Africa series of events sponsored by Penn State McKeesport.  The Teaching Africa series is planned by the campus to bring international news and current events to the student population of Penn State McKeesport.  Africa is the international  focus of the campus's 2005 curriculum.  The campus faculty has planned activities both in and out of the classroom which educate the students on African history and culture during the Spring and Fall semesters. 
 
 Nadine Gordimer, author of the October 13th reading, won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1991.  Ms. Gordimer is aligned with the liberal white consciousness of South Africa and her works focus on the country's politics and her belief that responsible citizens must work positively through a grass works effort to alter the whole South African political organization. 

Academic advisers will be grouped by major and located at tables throughout the SCC Dining Hall and concourse.

Students should come with advising questions such as the Spring 2006 Entrance to Major process, Spring scheduling options, degree requirements, etc., or just to say hello to their advisers.

There will also be an eLion tutorial station, for students who would like some help in using the online advising system.

As an enticement to participate, all advisees who speak with their advisers at the Advising Day Program will receive two tickets. One can be used to enter a drawing for a Barnes and Noble Bookstore Gift Card. The other can be used to get Penn State Creamery Ice Cream.

Advising Day opened with an evening session at the Residence Hall. Over 26 students met with advisers and enjoyed ice cream and cookies. The event was planned by a student-faculty-staff committee chaired by Donna Rhodes.

For information, call (412) 675-9010.

]]> Wed, 12 Jul 2006 10:13:03 EST /Information/News/Archive/25159.htm /Information/News/Archive/25167.htm Penn State McKeesport will hold a certified public accountant seminar from
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11, at the Omni William Penn Hotel on William
Penn Place in Pittsburgh. Greg Fajt, secretary for the Pennsylvania
Department of Revenue, and Robert Freedenberg, acting deputy secretary for
taxation, will open this one-day seminar for certified public accountants
and enrolled tax practitioners. Participants will be awarded eight CPACs
and .8 Continuing Education units for attending this training. 
For information on this program or to register, call (412) 675-9040.

]]> Wed, 12 Jul 2006 10:09:34 EST /Information/News/Archive/25167.htm /Information/News/Archive/22783.htm

The Penn State McKeesport Advisory Board will host its second annual All That’s Jazz scholarship benefit on Saturday, October 15, 2005, at 7:00 p.m. in Penn State McKeesport’s Student Community Center. Proceeds will be added to the Penn State McKeesport Scholarship Fund.

Last year’s event raised $21,050 for student scholarships, allowing the campus to provide scholarship aid to an additional 22 students. The Advisory Board has set a goal of $42,100 for this year’s benefit, double the amount raised last year.

Event Chairs Nancy Seifert and Nancy Traina and the All That’s Jazz Committee are planning an exciting evening. This year’s musical entertainment will feature Latin Jazz performed by the Carnegie Mellon University Jazz Ensemble under the direction of David Pellow. The featured vocalist is Lily Abreu, one of Brazil's greatest cultural assets. She is a versatile artist with numerous appearances as a recitalist and soloist with orchestras and chamber ensembles in France, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, the United States and Brazil. She has performed with the Pittsburgh Opera in productions of Faust, Carmen, and The Flying Dutchman. She is featured in the CD Plays Well With Others recorded with the renowned Jazz trio White Tie Group and will soon release a CD of Brazilian Popular Songs with the Grammy nominated string quartet Cuarteto Latinoamericano.

Approximately three-quarters of Penn State students receive some sort of financial aid (including loans) —up from 66% in 1995.  About one-half of the students enrolled at the campus represent the first generation in their family to attend college and many depend on grants, loans, and scholarships to pay for their education.

“Scholarship funds have become increasingly important to our students and their families. These funds can make the difference between students staying in college or having to make some hard decisions about their futures,” said Penn State McKeesport Chancellor Curtiss E. Porter, Ph.D.

Assisting Co-Chairs Nancy Seifert and Nancy Traina in leadership roles are: Ralph J. Papa, president of the Penn State McKeesport Advisory Board, who is chairing the Sponsorship Committee, aided by Joseph M. Hohman, vice chair. Jerry W. Martz and David J. Pasternak are co-chairing the Auction Committee. These volunteers are supported by Advisory Board members, community leaders, alumni, friends, and faculty and staff, all working to make the event a success.

Honorary Committee members include: Arthur L. Baldwin, Suzy and Jim Broadhurst, Esther Bush, Franco Harris, Thomas Hollander, George L. Miles, Jr., Tony Mowad, The Honorable Daniel Onorato, Sylvester Pace, William E. Strickland, Jr. and Doris Carson Williams.

Underwriters of All That’s Jazz include Hosts Citizens Bank, Nancy Seifert, and Nancy and John Traina; and Benefactors Elizabeth Carbide Die Co., Inc., General Trade Corporation, Mark R. Gruskin, John and Jean Neel, Resource Development Management, Inc., H.B. South Printers, and UPMC McKeesport. Sponsors also include event Patrons Alpern Rosenthal, Mrs. Nadine Bognar, Judy and Tom Bruney, Directed Electronics, Eat ’n Park Hospitality Group, Edward and Dorothy Datemasch, Jendoco Construction Company, George and Ann Kemp, John Keyes of Tube City-IMS, Dr. and Mrs. Michael Kutsenkow, Chris and Carolyn Maricondi, Mon Yough Chamber of Commerce, Vic and Patty Orler, Larry Ostermayer, Ralph J. and Ruth Anne Papa, Bill and Lydi Poller, Curtiss E. Porter, Riverside Care Center, Gary L. and Sharen A. Thomas, and Pat and Jay Winter.

As part of the evening’s fundraising activities, the All That’s Jazz Committee is planning a live auction and making available for purchase mystery boxes that will contain surprise items.

The public is invited to join in the festivities to help support the Penn State McKeesport Scholarship Fund. Tickets are $65 each or $500 for ten, and sponsorship opportunities are available. Information on tickets, sponsorships and the auctions can be obtained by calling the Penn State McKeesport Office of Institutional Advancement at 412-675-9048.

]]> Wed, 16 Nov 2011 16:29:13 EST /Information/News/Archive/22783.htm /Information/News/Archive/24910.htm Temujin the Storyteller is a font of stories and lore about Africa and elsewhere, and a wonderful entertainer.  He has performed all around the United States, delighting audiences with his humor as well as his knowledge of Africa and African American history.  He has been a performer at the local Renaissance Faires, and some may recognize him from his appearance in the movie Lorenzo's Oil.  Don't miss his performance, starting at 12:15 on Thursday, September 29th in the Ostermayer Room of the SCC on the Penn State McKeesport campus.  Also, all are welcome to join the Theatre 282 class in the Ostermayer Room 10:00-11:30 a.m. for an informal chat session with Temujin about storytelling, Africa, drumming, and who knows what else.  ]]> Fri, 29 Dec 2006 08:30:34 EST /Information/News/Archive/24910.htm /Information/News/Archive/24903.htm The first event for the Fall 2005 Teaching Africa project will take place on Tuesday September 27 at 12:15 p.m. in Crawford 102 on the Penn State McKeesport campus.

Philip D. Jones, International Development Project Manager, will speak about microfinance banking in Africa. He has more than 35 years of experience providing development project and finance services for clients in more  than 38 developing countries. He is home briefly from his project in Lagos, Nigeria and this presentation will draw on what he has been doing there since February.  Philip provides a full range of development project management and administration services to his clients, who include USAID and its contractors, the World Bank, UN agencies, the Asian Development Bank, commercial banks and finance companies, and international development management teams.

]]> Wed, 12 Jul 2006 10:09:32 EST /Information/News/Archive/24903.htm /Information/News/Archive/24802.htm “Be careful or the aluxes (pronounced a-loo-shas) will get you” is a warning taken seriously by generations of Yucatan inhabitants. Who are the aluxes? Why should one heed this warning? What are the consequences of ignoring the aluxes?

These questions are answered in a new book by Penn State McKeesport Professor of Spanish and Comparative Literature, Dr. Mary Preuss. Yucatec Maya Stories:  From Chen-Ja' to the Milpa  was released in June  by Labyrinthos, Lancaster, CA. The book is a compilation of folk stories Preuss collected during several visits to towns ranging from Muna to Choyob in the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico.

Preuss is an expert in Mayan culture and literature and travels often to the region. Her first book, Gods of Popol Vuh (Labyrinthos, 1988), focused on the roles of major deities in the Quiche Maya's religious book.

She is also the editor of Latin American Indian Literatures Journal and editor of six books about Latin American Indians.
                             
 In her new book Preuss presents a collection of stories and their interpretations as told to her by Yucatec Mayas. Their ancestors, usually the elders in families, orally passed down these stories over many centuries. Preuss tape recorded, transcribed,  and translated the stories so that they will not be lost to future generations.

“The influence of television on the present generation living in this region is strong. In the past families gathered together in the evenings and parents or grandparents entertained the children and each other with these stories,” Preuss said. Unfortunately, many myths may be on their way to extinction.

In the book’s introduction the author gives an in-depth description of the area where she conducted her research. By painting a picture of the region, its history,  and its people, she prepares the reader for a peek through a window in time at a mystical culture. Preuss identifies the individuals who tell the stories, their ages,  and the towns in which they live.

The first chapter examines myths by looking at the characters in various stories, their themes and the old Indian beliefs that are present in each. The Mayans believed in cosmological structure, the way in which the universe is ordered. They held strong beliefs about the earth, four cardinal points, the solstices, and the symbols of the axis mundi. The axis mundi is the imaginary line that traverses three levels of the universe including heaven, Earth,  and the underworld. Shamans, priests who use magic to control events,  and deities can traverse these levels, but not humans.

Some of the figures in myths have been around since the 16th century when the Spanish colonized the region. The aluxes are an example of such figures and Preuss devotes a chapter to them.
 
“The aluxes are little people and they are very mischievous,” Preuss explained. “They are about knee-high, smoke little cigars and wear little sombreros,” she said.

One may believe in them or not, much like leprechauns; however, many instances of unexplained events have been attributed to the aluxes.

“Aluxes like to play pranks,” Preuss said. They can make hammocks swing or make fires go out when there is no other obvious explanation. They have been known to throw pots and pans out into the yard when angered by the homeowner about something.

“The aluxes have to be respected. If not, they can make life very miserable,” she said. “They demonstrate dualities which Mayan philosophy credits with maintaining a balance of order in the world. For instance, life is good when there is a balance between good and bad.”

The admonition “to be careful about the aluxes” is illustrated in a story about an archeologist and his encounter with the “little people.” It is customary that archeologists carefully remove the stones from former temples that have been covered over with plants, trees, and dirt. Working in a remote area of the Yucatan peninsula, an archaeologist and his assistants lay the stones nearby on the ground in a systematic fashion. (This procedure helps to determine the order of the stones in the original structure). At the end of the first day he recorded the findings, but when they resumed work the next day, all of the stones were back in their former positions.

Bewildered, the archaeologist directed the workers to remove the stones again and arrange them on the ground as before. It was long, tedious work. Upon returning to the site on the third day, the archeologist again found the stones in their original location. The mysterious act baffled him. Who caused this phenomenon? Perhaps someone did not want him to be there.

When he shared his concerns with natives, they told him it was the work of the aluxes. The “little people” thought he was being disrespectful because he had not engaged a shaman to perform the required ceremony. Once the rite was done, there were no more problems.

Other chapters recount myths about sirens, guardians, witches and sorcerers, and ordinary Maysa, as well as beliefs and traditions. Preuss hopes that the preservation of these stories will be continued in their native land. She has met a few University students who are working together to accomplish that goal.

With the decline of oral tradition and the influence of television on world cultures, perhaps these tales will some day become material for television scripts which may broaden the audience for these entrancing stories of the Mayan culture of the Yucatan region.

]]> Wed, 12 Jul 2006 10:09:58 EST /Information/News/Archive/24802.htm /Information/News/Archive/24804.htm Wed, 12 Jul 2006 10:08:57 EST /Information/News/Archive/24804.htm /Information/News/Archive/24793.htm Sam Weinreb
Surviving the Holocaust
September 21, 7:00 p.m.

Abie Abraham
Surviving the Bataan Death March
October 19, 2005- 7:00 p.m.

Larry Donovan
Surviving a Korean POW Camp
November 16, 2005-7:00 p.m.

John Ungar
Surviving the Quecreek Mine Collapse
February 15, 2006 - 7:00 p.m.

Ed Ezaki
Surviving an American Internment Camp
March 1, 2006-7:00 p.m.

Michael DiLauro
Documentary Filmmaker
Prisoners Among Us: Italian-American Identity and World War II
April 19, 2006-7:00 p.m.

All events will be held in the Student Commmunity Center, Ostermayer Room

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They stood in the rain and squinted through the rain drops, straining to see every item in the CSI Mobile Van. Young campers at Penn State McKeesport’s Kids’ Camp, a summer youth program sponsored by Continuing Education, were given the chance to see first-hand what it takes to investigate a crime scene just like the popular television series CSI.

This year’s CSI Camp was partially supported through a generous grant from the Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh, an organization of local scientists and educators who volunteer their time to promote science education at all levels from elementary to college.

Area children in grades 4 through 8 spent a week in class with Officer Ken Wehrli of the White Oak Police Department and DARE Officer in the community. They quickly discovered ways to dust and lift finger prints from items and practiced making implants and molds of their own teeth in foam containers. After a week in the classroom, the young CSI campers had an opportunity to practice what they had learned at a mock crime scene set-up on campus.

As an added treat under the direction of Detective Joseph Osinski of the City of McKeesport Police Department, the campers were able to explore an actual mobile crime scene lab that was provided to the campus from the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office. The crime scene van was equipped with individual CSI kits and a computer and scanner hooked up to a database that matches evidence with criminal information that is kept on file with the county.

Possibly due to the CSI television series, CSI Camp this year was a popular class that filled up quickly and actually has a waiting list for next year. “Each of our summer Kids’ Camps offers a variety of learning experiences for these young students. Many of them return each year discovering other interests and creative ways to keep learning and have fun over the summer months” commented Dr. Susan C. Lewis, director of Continuing Education at Penn State McKeesport. “The grant that we received from the Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh enabled us to further develop the program and enhance the actual hands-on training. Plans to expand the program are currently underway for next year,” stated Dr. Lewis.

Starting as a young camper with an interest in crime scene investigations can actually lead to a career on a CSI series.David Thompson, an alumus from Penn State McKeesport followed his dream all the way to the sheriff’s office in Los Angeles and today he is a consultant on CSI Las Vegas.  For more information on services provided through Continuing Education at Penn State McKeesport, call 412-675-9040.

 

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Making the decision to stay in Pittsburgh while pursing a college degree was not a hard choice for Anthony Bruce. After all, Anthony’s friends and family were already here and when he looked around at the opportunities available, he knew he could be successful right in his own community.

As a young man attending Oliver High School in the City of Pittsburgh, Anthony was considered a participant and not a bystander. In fact, many of his classmates and teachers viewed him as a leader. He graduated from Oliver High School in 2000 as class valedictorian and was Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) Battalion Commander.  Anthony was an active member of the Oliver High School football, wrestling, and track and field teams. He was a two-time gold medal high jumper and a one-time City runner-up in wrestling in the high school city league. Anthony also participated in Honor Guard, Rifle team, and Raiders while in JROTC.

Anthony remained active throughout his entire high school experience and managed to maintain exceptional grades. When he set a course of action to attend college, he started investigating universities and scholarship opportunities. Upon graduation from high school, Anthony had been offered half a million dollars in scholarship offers and awards ranging from partial to full scholarships, academic to ROTC, American Chemical Society to Coca-Cola.  In the year 2000, he was selected as one of top 50 scholars out of 253,000 in the U.S.to compete in Atlantafor a Coca-Cola scholarship.  Ultimately, he accepted a full-academic scholarship from PennState and his course was set. 

Today, Anthony Bruce works for Verizon as a GPS Analyst/Construction Specialist where he is leading a project to develop and automate summarized scorecards. His years at Penn State McKeesport helped him to gain the knowledge and experience he needed to be successful and when it was time to select an intern site location, Anthony chose, once again, to look no further than his own backyard. He had dual internships all four years while he resided at Penn State McKeesport at both Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and at Carnegie Mellon University’s Software Engineering Institute. He received his bachelor’s degree in Information Sciences and Technology in 2004.

Anthony Bruce is proof that “you can get there from here” and is proud to be one of the many young people from Pittsburgh that chose to get an education and capitalize on the many opportunities that living and working in Pittsburgh can provide.

Students like Anthony who attend Penn State McKeesport enjoy the benefits and resources of a major research university in an intimate setting. The campus is located outside of Pittsburgh between the residential community of White Oak and Renziehausen Park, and is just 15 minutes away from The Waterfront. The PAT bus 56-C bus stops on campus. The campus’ diverse student body is served by dynamic academic and service-based programs.

Penn State McKeesport offers all four years of bachelor’s degrees in Business, Communications, Information Sciences and Technology, Organizational Leadership and Psychology as well as the first two years of 160+ Penn State majors.  Classes are offered in both day and evening schedules.  A new associate degree in Nanofabrication Manufacturing Technology has increased two-year degree offerings which include Business Administration; Letters, Arts and Sciences; and Science. 

For more information, contact Penn State McKeesport at 412-675-9180.

]]> Wed, 12 Jul 2006 10:13:26 EST /Information/News/Archive/21598.htm /Information/News/Archive/31792.htm Attend a discussion by a representative of Doctors Without Borders, the Nobel-Prize winning organization that has done great work in Africa and elsewhere.

Our speaker, Sharon Connor, is a pharmacist who negotiated access to medicines for people in need in Ethiopia and Kenya.

She will speak from 12:15 to 1:30 on TUESDAY, APRIL 5, in the Ostermayer Room of the SCC.

]]> Sat, 08 Aug 2009 15:36:10 EST /Information/News/Archive/31792.htm /Information/News/Archive/31786.htm On March 31 there will be a series of events in celebration of Africa Day and in conjunction with Teaching Africa.

The Pittsburgh Dance Ensemble will present an African dance and drumming workshop in the Ostermayer Room of the Student Community Center at 12:15 pm. The presentation will include a discussion of Aftican cultures as well as demonstrations of elements of dance and drumming. At 7 pm the group will perform in the dining area of the SCC.

The Black Student Union has planned a special menu for the day and will present a fashion show late in the afternoon.

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Dr. Séne spoke on "History, Culture and Current Issues in Senegal and Western Africa."

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