08-1322 Outreach Mag Fall 08

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Organizational and Municipal Officials: Join Us for the

Pennsylvania Natural Gas Summit:

Challenges and Opportunities

Nonpartisan. Objective. Fact-based. What you need to know right now.

Four different tracks will be offered: 1. Minimizing Environmental Impacts 2. Employment Opportunities and Training Needs 3. Issues for Local Governments and Municipal Officials 4. Legal Issues in Natural Gas Leasing

The Faces

AIDS

of

How partnerships are improving life in South Africa— a nation hit hard by a distressing epidemic

and Development

For more information, please e-mail [email protected]. an

program of Penn State

December 10 and 11, 2008

Ramada Inn | 1450 South Atherton Street | State College, PA 16801 Quelling the ups and downs of tax reform · The truth about domestic violence · CAREER SWITCHES

A Letter From Outreach and the College of Health and Human Development Steve Tressler/Vista Professional Studios

T

he cover story in this issue highlights a couple of programs involving Penn State faculty working to promote equity in health with colleagues in South Africa, where prevalence of HIV/AIDS is the highest in the world. There

are 1,500 new HIV infections daily in South Africa, and 60 percent of all new infections occur in people aged 15–25.

CONTENTS

Volume 11, No. 2

Features 2

SEEKING SOLUTIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Penn State faculty work with colleagues in a country where the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is the highest in the world

drug use and risky sexual behaviors in high school students in Development (HHD) faculty Drs. Ed Smith and Linda Caldwell with a team of colleagues from two universities in the Western

6

Communications research leads to significant program advancement for an Allegheny County crisis resource center

AVOIDING TAXING CONVERSATIONS

HealthWise is a school-based initiative aimed at reducing the Cape Town area. Co-led by College of Health and Human

THE MYTHS & TRUTHS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

8

In a poor economy, complaints over levies get louder. These forums help citizens and officials find common ground on tax fairness and reform

Dr. Nan Crouter, dean of the College of Health and Human Development, with Vice President for Outreach Dr. Craig D. Weidemann

NUTRIENTS: TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING

11

Penn State works with agricultural and environmental stakeholders to change farming practices and improve Pennsylvania’s water quality

ASK THE EXPERT: WHAT WORKS FOR THE LABOR EXPERT

14

Emily Stover DeRocco discusses the role of universities in economic and workforce development

Cape area, the project is focused on health promotion and healthy use of

leisure time. The good news is that the local school system has recently decided to In another effort, led by Dr. Collins Airhihenbuwa, head of HHD’s Department of Biobehavioral Health, faculty and historically disadvantaged students at two universities in South Africa were trained to engage in focus group discussions with community members to try to understand the notion of HIV/AIDS stigma and craft

interventions to reduce that stigma.

Sheri Schumacher, Auburn University

expand the initiative to nearly 60 additional schools—involving 18,000 youth.

18

RETHINKING INTERIOR SPACES:

HOW W E LI V E AN D BE HAV E

These types of projects are in line with HHD’s mission: apply health-related knowledge to enhance the well-being of people not just in Pennsylvania but also around the globe. The projects also reflect the college’s historical strength in youth-focused projects, as well as a growing intent in the college to address health risks in South Africa.

Issues of global health do not respect borders: Diseases such as AIDS and

Departments INSIDE OUTREACH · The Strongest Link · Lakshman Yapa on Engagement

creasing interest in these issues is leading to discussions about a possible new global

· World Campus Student Spotlight: Using GIS for Public Health

to coalesce teaching, research and service. Service and outreach are important parts of the HHD faculty role, and the college now tracks such activities as part of faculty members’ annual activity reports. HHD and Penn State Outreach are allies, having many interests in common. In a strategic analysis, the Outreach organization identified health as one of the issues

ENERGY & THE ENVIRONMENT

· A Celebration of Authors

18

HEALTH · Larger Role for Interpreters

K–12 EDUCATION

· Interior Architecture, Deviant Style

· The Social Scene

· Building Smart for the Elderly

28

20

23

29

· Big Steps for Small-Town Hospitals · From Computer Science to Health Science · Teaching Strategies for ESL

· Improving Literacy

· Improving Life Skills Through 4-H

WORKFORCE, COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

· Please Don’t Till the Soil

· Messages of Hope

CHILDREN, YOUTH & FAMILIES

· Strengthening Cyber Security · Horse ID’s

· Turning Garbage Into Gold

· Enhancing Arts Instruction

vitally important to the Commonwealth—an interest front and center to the college.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

· Seeing the Forest for More Than the Trees

· Multicultural Program Recognized

ARTS & HUMANITIES

21

· Cheese Plant Cuts Out the Fat

· Polish for the Wood Industry

malnutrition are important health concerns; they are relevant to everyone. The inhealth minor in the college, which will provide interesting new ways for faculty

16

24

ENDNOTE ENDNOTE

· Sexuality Education · The Art of Teaching Science

SAFETY & SECURITY · Surge Protection

· PennTAP Success Story: Leveling the Playing Field for Tech Companies

· Volunteer of the Year

27

· Letters

32

of Human Development in Penn State’s College of Health and Human Development (HHD) and primary investigator of the program with Dr. Linda Caldwell, professor of recreation, park and tourism management in HHD. Smith added, “Teachers are convinced that the program has changed the school atmosphere and created a sense of school spirit.” Caldwell is quick to point out that the program would not have been successful without their South African colleagues. “It is a match made in heaven,” she said. “They initiated the project, and we conceptualized it together. We had the ability to get funding, but they do the hard work and carry it out on a daily basis.” Mitchell’s Plain is just one community working with faculty from HHD in a larger collaborative effort with South African research partners to promote equity in health. “We are committed to focusing on historically disadvantaged institutions and communities in South Africa,” said Dr. Collins O. Airhihenbuwa, head of the Department of Biobehavioral Health (BBH), who is working on a capacity building and research project in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

Solu t ions in Sou t h A fr ic a By Melissa W. Kaye

Linda Caldwell

Youth Learn to Problem Solve

M i tch e l l’s

is a large, sprawling township near Cape Town in South Africa. It contains monotonous rows of houses built about 20 years ago for the “coloured” population—one of the racial groups designated under the Apartheid system to refer to people of mixed-race. A community marked by high unemployment and poverty, there are public schools here that lock the doors during the day and are surrounded by barbed wire to keep out gangs; daily realities among students include drug addiction, pregnancy and HIV/AIDS.

Plain

2 · Penn State Outreach Magazine

Despite some grim conditions in Mitchell’s Plain, there is plenty to be positive about: Thanks to a Penn State-led initiative and dedicated partners, youth in the area have reported they are less likely to start drinking, less likely to smoke and have an increased knowledge of condom use. Now the program, HealthWise, tested over the last five years at four schools, is so popular that it is being expanded to nearly 60 additional schools. “Teachers loved it, principals loved it and the kids found it palatable,” said Dr. Edward Smith, director of evaluation research in the Prevention Research Center for the Promotion

Funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, HealthWise is a school-based curriculum that aims to reduce drug use and risky sexual behavior by focusing on health promotion and healthy use of leisure time. The initiative is in response to the need for HIV/AIDS intervention and prevention efforts in South Africa, where prevalence of the epidemic is the highest in the world. There are 1,500 new HIV infections daily in South Africa, and 60 percent of all new infections occur in people ages 15–25. The program grew out of an effort started in 2000 by Penn State’s Children, Youth and Families Consortium, led by Dr. Karen Bierman, to bring together people across the campus system to work with colleagues in South Africa whose focus was risk reduction and health promotion among youth. “There’s a saying in South Africa: If you’re not infected with the disease, you are affected by it,” said Smith, “through a relative or friend having it.” HealthWise—adapted for South African youth from U.S. programs—is based on the theory that boredom during free time increases the potential for risky behaviors. Despite a large billboard over the sports and recreation center in Mitchell’s Plain proclaiming: “Getting the Nation to Play,” it has remained a challenge for adults to get youth to partici-

Linda Caldwell

Seeking

Penn State faculty work with colleagues in a country where the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is the highest in the world

Penn State faculty visited a variety of schools in South Africa on early visits.

pate in organized activities—with kids preferring to hang out in the streets. “Kids become bored in their free time. Where there is poverty and a lack of resources, there is not a lot to do,” said Caldwell. “HealthWise teaches kids how to problem solve about what they can do with what they have.” The two-year curriculum begins in eighth grade and, in addition to providing factual health-related information, it engages the youth in activities such as scavenger hunts, role-playing and open discussion. For example, in a scavenger hunt, kids might be asked to go find the library, swimming pool and health care clinic. A role-playing activity might ask kids to think about what they would do in a situation that could turn risky, such as if they were home alone. “After participating, one group of youth decided to start a hiking club,” said Caldwell. “There is really no obvious place for them to hike, but they came together to think about how they could still do it.” Also, youth development specialists and students were inspired to start a drama club, with the help of the University of the Western Cape. The feedback has been completely positive. For example: “We can really see growth within our learners, that they are aware of the challenges that are facing our community,” said one principal. “People have respect for this program, and the presence of the program affects what happens at the school, such as the issues around teenage pregnancy,” said a participant.

there’s a saying in south africa: if you’re not infected with the disease, you are affected by it.

Fall 2008 · 3

Global Collaboration:

Niger Delta

The Niger Delta region in Nigeria is home to more than 10 million people. Oil exploration has become the major production activity in

Left and center: It has been a challenge to get youth to participate in organized activities. Far right: A team aims to reduce HIV/AIDS stigma.

the area, with 2 million barrels of oil extracted every day. The area is marked with pollution, disease and unemployment. Dr. Collins O. Airhihenbuwa, head of the Penn State Department of Biobehavioral Health,

“Lessons are taught to learners [about] dealing with anger and anxiety. … Instead of getting angry, they know how to control their anger. It has contributed in a broader sense, after school, to extramural activities,” said a teacher. “It’s incredibly gratifying to hear their enthusiasm,” said Caldwell. Also fulfilling is the fact that the program will reach 18,000 kids in public schools with its expansion. “We’re training not only the students, but also the teachers to think differently,” Caldwell added.

and administration, are co-investigators) involved training faculty and historically disadvantaged students at the University of the Western Cape in Cape Town and the University of Limpopo in Polokwane to engage in conversations with community members—youth groups and health care workers—to try to understand the notion of HIV/AIDS stigma and craft interventions to reduce that stigma. Research in Cape Town was conducted in three communities: Khayelitsha, Gugulethu and Mitchell’s Plain; research in Polokwane was conducted in the Limpopo province. “The idea is to train more South Africans who are directly involved in developing solutions. The place to go for that is where young minds are cultivated—at the university,” explained Airhihenbuwa. “The goal is to create more openness and more willingness to be tested and help the community find culturally positive ways to express love and acceptance.” Funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, the project is called “Capacity Building for Research on HIV Stigma in South Africa.” Airhihenbuwa first approached Dr. Olive Shisana (who

willingness to be tested and help the

community

find culturally positive ways to express love and

acceptance.

4 · Penn State Outreach Magazine

petroleum extraction in Niger Delta. There will be a video conference course in spring 2009 between “We hope that it will be a model for faculty to col-

create more

Another Penn State project—led by Airhihenbuwa—is also focused on the power of positive thought in the context of HIV/AIDS. This project went beyond Mitchell’s Plain to cover several disadvantaged communities of South Africa. Feelings of shame related to having HIV/AIDS can cause rifts in families and communities. For example—people may use their fingers when eating, and when a person has HIV, he or she might not be called to the table because of the way they eat, experiencing rejection. Or, a woman in a family expresses her identity by cooking for the family; when she tests positive for HIV the family tells her she can’t cook for them anymore, and she is demoralized. Airhihenbuwa’s recently completed five-year effort (Smith and Dr. Rhonda BeLue, assistant professor of health policy

of Ibadan in Nigeria on examining the impact of

the two universities on the subject.

the goal is to

Cultivating Young Minds

is leading an effort to work with the University

Linda Caldwell

Linda Caldwell

is now the chief executive officer of the Human Sciences Research Council in South Africa) with the project, and then in turn the universities. Penn State and the Human Sciences Research Council, in collaboration with faculty from the universities, selected graduate students to mentor on the project. Workshops for the South African faculty were held at Penn State and then in South Africa for the students. Previously, the students had little actual contact with the community for research. “We trained them to have a different way of engaging with the community, and that changed the way they look at the community and how they look at research,” said Airhihenbuwa. The effort was successful. “I was enriched by the task of facilitating groups,” said University of the Western Cape graduate student J. P. Mokwena. “The most interesting thing for me was that … participants would see things differently.” Leickness Simbayi of the Human Sciences Research Council appreciated the collaboration between the universities. “The networking has been fantastic,” he said. A total of 30 black and “coloured” South African graduate students were trained. Airhihenbuwa is currently working on a grant to assist students and faculty mentors with the intervention phase of the project.

Students Gain Opportunity

The interest in such projects is increasing in HHD not only among faculty but also students. To meet this need, BBH hopes to offer a minor in global health. The minor is part

laborate on research projects,” said Airhihenbuwa. The three-year project is funded through the Alliance for Earth Sciences, Engineering and Development in Africa by the Fogarty International Center of the National Institutes of Health.

of the college’s strategic plan and is expected to be offered starting in 2009. BBH programs already in place demonstrate how working abroad can be a life-changing experience. For example, for eight years BBH has offered a program for underrepresented U.S. minority undergraduate and graduate students to support research training each summer at places including South Africa, Tanzania, France and Switzerland. The program, which has trained more than 100 minority and underrepresented students nationally, is led by Dr. Gary King and funded by the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health. “My interest is no longer one-dimensional,” said former participant Pernell Jones. “Working with people from other countries has taught me how to relate and convey my thoughts with respect.” Eni Njoh, a trainee in 2007, said: “I am able to understand ideas and concepts discussed in class on a completely different level than my classmates. I can relate to the material I learn in class due to my hands-on experience.”

Fall 2008 · 5

Communications research leads to significant program advancement for an Allegheny County crisis resource center

New Skills for Advocates Victim services professionals can enhance their skills and network at the 10th annual Pennsylvania Pathways for Victim Services conference (Nov.19–21), offered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s Office of Victim

THE MYTHS

& TRUTHS OF

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE By Karen Cavaliere Zitomer

“B

ad things happen to other people, not to me.” It’s a widespread belief that perhaps makes individuals even more vulnerable to violent crime. The fact is, bad things can happen to anyone. “The misperception that someone is less likely to be victimized—a theory called optimistic bias—is a major hurdle in getting people to acknowledge they may be at risk,” said Dr. John Chapin, associate professor of communications at Penn State Beaver and a health communications and health-risk perception expert. For nearly a decade, Chapin has incorporated his study of optimistic bias and other communications theories into his work with Crisis Center North (CCN)—a nonprofit counseling and educational resource center for victims of domestic violence in Allegheny County—to help the center refine its violence-prevention education programs. His evaluation of CCN’s services has led to significant program advancement and has been essential in helping CCN prove program efficacy to secure funding.

6 · Penn State Outreach Magazine

Workplace Responses: Training Program Expands

A multimedia-training program (http://domesticviolence.psu.edu) to help Penn State faculty and staff better understand domestic violence and respond to employee or student victims is expanding. A project of the Centre County Women’s Resource Center (CCWRC) and Penn State Public Broadcasting with support from the Verizon Foundation, “The Penn State Community at Work: Workplace Responses to Domestic Violence” has reached 400 people at University Park since February 2008. CCWRC is now holding training sessions at other Penn State campuses.

“We have been able to stand out among other agencies in our community as one in a few who have this level of research done on the services we provide,” said Stacy de las Alas, development specialist for CCN. To inform improvements to CCN’s school violence-prevention program, Chapin and his CCN colleagues evaluated middle- and high-school students’ reactions to CCN educational sessions designed to increase awareness of highrisk scenarios. As a result of Chapin’s finding that students already knew a significant amount about violence in general, CCN refined its curriculum to include more specific sessions on such topics as relationship violence and violence in the media. Chapin’s research has been integral to CCN’s medical-advocacy program, which provides round-the-clock intervention for domestic-violence victims who arrive at hospitals, as well as training for medical professionals to learn how to effectively screen patients. For example, his findings have helped enhance screeners’ awareness that accidents are the most common false answers provided by victims and that patients will be more candid when separated from their spouses/family members. Chapin also found that some hospital employees believed domestic violence was more likely to occur among the economically disadvantaged and minorities—myths that CCN staff addressed in subsequent trainings. In addition to conducting programmatic evaluation, Chapin—whose work has garnered awards and state legislative

Services with Penn State Conferences. “The most important aspect of the conference is that with the new skills and ideas acquired by advocates, it will be the victims that benefit the most,” said Rebecca Slavinsky of the Office of Victim Services.

citations—was an editor for the book “In the Fig Tree,” a collection of creative writing by survivors of domestic violence who sought help through CCN.

Awareness Through the Arts A fellow Penn State Beaver faculty member—Dr. Carol Schafer, associate professor of theatre, integrative arts and women’s studies and a former member of CCN’s board of directors—also has used the arts to increase awareness of domestic violence. With Grace Coleman, executive director of CCN, Schafer penned “The Other Side of the River,” a fictionalized play based on almost two years of interviews with survivors of assault in the Pittsburgh area. Funded through Verizon Wireless and a Penn State Research Development Grant, the play was performed at Pittsburgh’s Andy Warhol Museum in September 2003 and at the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s annual Pathways for Victim Services Conference in 2004 (see above box). A video of the play, produced by WPSU, also was funded by Verizon. Both Chapin and Schafer have incorporated their work into their classrooms at Penn State Beaver—Schafer in her women’s studies and theatre classes, and Chapin through service-learning and independent-study projects for his students. This fall Chapin’s students are filming sessions of a state-mandated training for individuals who work with victims of violent crime. “I found the perfect way to blend my teaching and research with community service,” said Chapin.

Getting people to acknowledge they may be at risk is a major hurdle, says Dr. John Chapin.

Fall 2008 · 7

Av oiding

taxing

Con v e rs at ions

In a poor economy, complaints over levies get louder. These forums help citizens and officials find common ground on tax fairness and reform

Goshorn. “The forums give local taxpayers and elected officials the opportunity to work together on a solution, and the taxpayers also have the opportunity to learn more about what their local officials provide with property tax dollars.”

Dr. Timothy Kelsey, Penn State professor of agricultural economics and Extension state program leader for Economic and Community Development, organizes the forums with Shuffstall. He explained that tax

A tax is levied on the price of admission to places of amusement, entertainment and recreation.

W

wages, salaries and net profits of a business.

Personal Income Tax: Levied on earned income, plus interest and dividends.

8 · Penn State Outreach Magazine

Real Property Tax: The real property tax is a tax on the value of the real property, such as buildings, land and improvements, owned by a taxpayer.

sylvania (CCAP) to offer a new series of local tax forums for taxpayers and local government officials, like Cramer, to discuss the complex issues of taxation and tax fairness and reform.

Amusement Tax: The amusement tax is levied on such things as the admissions prices to places of amusement, entertainment and recreation.

From Contention to Cooperation

William Shuffstall, senior educator for Penn State Extension and a tax forum organizer, said taxpayer reaction to the first two forums held in Monroe and Lycoming counties last spring was positive. “I had people approach me after the forum and tell me they thought they knew a lot about tax reform,” Shuffstall said. “But now they have a whole new perspective on the issues.” Shuffstall explains that the forums do not advocate a position or attempt to help create a fair tax solution for communities; they present the issues to inform taxpayers and connect them with their state legislators, who have more power in these matters. The forums start with a 20-minute introduction on how tax revenues are generated and spent and go into the hurdles of

A Gl o s s a r y Earned Income Tax: Levied on

By Matt Swayne

hen the phone rings at the Stroud Township office, supervisor Ed Cramer knows that a confused—and often angry— taxpayer may be on the other end of the line. Cramer can sympathize. The number of authorities and the varieties of taxes that are levied aren’t always easy to follow. Pennsylvanians pay taxes to local, school district, county, state and federal authorities. The types of taxes include income, real estate and sales. Throw in a poor economy and a lack of understanding about how local governments spend this tax money, and you have all the ingredients for a long and contentious telephone conversation. “When people call to complain I really try to walk the taxpayer through how we arrive at our tax structure and how we spend the money,” Cramer said. “I want them to know how much they’re paying and exactly what services they’re getting.” Such taxpayer grumblings have led Penn State Extension and the County Commissioners Association of Penn-

residents. A shift of emphasis from a real estate tax to an income-based tax structure would place more of the burden on full-time residents, who would be paying for the tax breaks enjoyed by nonresident property owners. This type

Mercantile Tax: The mercantile tax, often called the business gross receipts tax, or business privilege tax, is levied on the gross receipts of local businesses. Source: http://cax.aers.psu.edu/taxreform/localtax.htm

developing a fair tax balance. Kristen Goshorn, government relations manager for the CCAP, said that this neutral position helps to create a spirit of cooperation between the local elected officials and their constituents. “Too often, taxpayer frustration over property tax issues is played out in adversarial situations, such as the public meeting where a tax increase is being considered, or in the newspaper headlines and editorials afterward,” said

Thomas A. Zimmerman, a director for the Williamsport Area School District and a regional director of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, said that he believes that the forum he attended improved taxpayer understanding. “I was very impressed,” Zimmerman said. “There was uniformity across the groups, a collective ‘Wow’ about how complex the budget process actually is. I think a lot of taxpayers came away with that insight.”

reform in Pennsylvania over the past 10 years has been about shifting, not cutting, taxes, and that finding a fair balance must be a local choice. “The question becomes: ‘How do you apply these taxes fairly?’” he said.

Checking for Fair Balance

Kelsey pointed out, for example, that Sullivan County is a small, sparsely populated county with a large number of vacation homes owned by non-

of shift (which is not occurring) would be perceived as unfair by many county residents, explained Kelsey. “It really becomes a value choice,” Kelsey said. “And those values can vary from county to county.” Shuffstall said that one revenueearning hurdle is that the state gives local and county governments the permission to collect only certain taxes. Counties can levy real estate taxes, an occupation tax or per capita tax, and a

Fall 2008 · 9

W he re Doe s t he Mone y Go? 16% Mental Health/ Mentally Disabled



13% General Human Services

hotel tax that can only be used to build a tourism or convention center. Local governments and school districts are afforded more flexibility by the state, but they are still restricted in what types of taxes they can apply. Spending is tightly regulated by mandates. “For example, mandates take approximately 80 percent of a county’s budget, which means that commissioners really have control of only 20 percent of their budget,”

Nutrients:

10% Children and Youth



explained Shuffstall. Due to the school code mandates and collective bargaining unit agreements, local school boards have control of less than 15 percent of their budgets. On the other side of the equation, citizens are reluctant to see a decrease in services provided by their local governments. This leaves little room for budget cuts. As the economy treads on shaky ground and as money continues to get

9% Institutional



Too Much of a Good Thing

9% Corrections

tight for taxpayers, tax forums may become more important in establishing the lines of communication between official and constituent. “As the economy gets worse, it gets tougher for the taxpayer,” Cramer said. “More people are going to be turning to the government and asking how much are they paying in taxes and what services are they getting for that money. It’s important to be prepared how to explain things and have an open discussion.”

W HO TO contact For more information about tax forums, contact: Timothy Kelsey 814-865-9542 or [email protected] William Shuffstall 814-865-5665 or [email protected]

Pennsylvanians pay taxes to local, school district, county, state and federal authorities, and the variety isn’t always easy to follow.

Steve Williams, College of Agricultural Sciences



* Top five spending categories for Pennsylvania counties (Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development)

Penn State works with agricultural and environmental stakeholders to change farming practices and improve Pennsylvania’s water quality By Deborah A. Benedetti

s

usquehanna County farmer John Benscoter used to plow his fields before planting corn. “I love to plow,” Benscoter said. Then he learned about the no-till method, which involves planting crops without disturbing the soil. He now plants his corn that way. In addition, Benscoter has fenced in the creek running through his farm, keeping livestock from damaging the grasses growing along the bank. These changes have reduced the amount of sediment from his farm that enters the creek— and eventually the Chesapeake Bay. Benscoter is not alone in making changes to cope with soil erosion and other factors affecting water quality on his farm and downstream. Nearly half of the state’s farmers have adopted no-till farming practices, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Even with such changes, agriculture—a $45 billion industry in Pennsylvania—contributes to water pollution within the state and in the Chesapeake Bay watershed from the runoff of excess nutrients from barnyards and fields. The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States, and its watershed includes the entire District of Columbia and parts of six states—New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Mary-

land, Virginia and West Virginia. “Nutrients sound like a good thing. We need them to grow—plants do, people do—but they can also be too much of a good thing,” said Dr. James Shortle, Distinguished Professor of Agricultural and Environmental Economics and director of the Environment and Natural Resources Institute (ENRI) at Penn State. That’s why Shortle, along with Kristen Saacke Blunk, director of the College of Agricultural Sciences’ new Agriculture and Environment Center (a collaboration between ENRI and Penn State Extension, an Outreach unit), have launched an effort to work with both internal and external partners—state agencies, municipal wastewater treatment plant operators, farmers, regulators, agricultural and environmental nongovernmental organizations, and others—to develop solutions to the problem.

How to Restore the Bay

Removing nutrients—fertilizers, animal manure and sediments—from Pennsylvania and the other states’ waters is key to restoring the Chesapeake Bay. Excess nutrients—primarily nitrogen and phosphorus—are the result of changing agricultural practices. Today

Tax structures vary by county; for example, in a vacation-home market there may be an emphasis on real estate tax.

10 · Penn State Outreach Magazine

Fall 2008 · 11

animal agriculture is more concentratvania’s Susquehanna River, making the Broadcasting, allowed participants ed, with more animals being raised on a Commonwealth a major contributor of to discuss how to help farmers better farm and fewer acres being devoted to nutrients in the bay. manage animal nutrients. One way is growing feed. Instead of growing feed, The kickoff event for the pollution by developing a nutrient management Pennsylvania farmers buy it from the initiative was a water quality conferplan. Penn State Extension offers a Midwest and no training program longer have a use on how to do this, for the nutrients and now 2,500 their animals profarms are usduce in the form ing these plans, of manure. said Dr. Douglas Farm nutrients Beegle, Penn The 2 million miles of pipe carrying to engage the public on the topic. The end up in the State professor water, wastewater and storm water in toolkit includes a discussion guide and Chesapeake Bay of agronomy the nation are sorely in need of repair other materials to use surrounding when they run and leader of the and replacement. “Liquid Assets: The local events, such as a screening of the off into creeks, program. Beegle Story of Our Water Infrastructure,” a documentary. streams and rivers added that Penn new Penn State Public Broadcasting “The goal is to stimulate community and seep into the State’s nutrient documentary that airs nationally this fall, discussion and bring this issue into the groundwater durmanagement not only explores the history, engineerpublic consciousness, using television ing rains. Sewage research and ing challenges and economic realities of as a catalyst,” said Tom Keiter, executreatment plants education efforts these hidden resources, but also offers tive producer of the documentary (http:// are another source have helped to a toolkit for public television stations liquidassets.psu.edu). of nutrients— shape Pennsylvafrom humans. nia’s first Nutrient Even after being Management Act, treated, the water released from these ence in June, called Agriculture and the as well as subsequent legislation reguplants still contains large amounts of Environment: Achieving Balance. lating nutrients involving farm animals. nutrients. “The conference was a very empowerAnother challenge explored at the The nutrients cause algal blooms that ing experience, as it brought together conference is safeguarding water quality deplete oxygen from the water and crediverse interests from all walks of agriwithin the Chesapeake Bay watershed. ate dead zones. Stretching across more culture and environmental protection,” Wetlands can help, said Dr. Denice than 64,000 square miles, the ChesaSaacke Blunk said. Wardrop, associate professor of geogpeake Bay watershed receives nearly 50 The conference, which opened with raphy and ecology at Penn State and percent of its fresh water from Pennsyla video produced by Penn State Public associate director of the Penn State Co-

operative Wetlands Center (see box at right), where she specializes in wetland ecology and evaluation, assessment and restoration techniques. “Wetlands play an important role in water quality improvements,” said Wardrop. “They provide an ecosystem service by trapping sediments and retaining and transforming nutrients in ways that are beneficial to watersheds, keeping them out of the Chesapeake Bay.”

WATER INFRASTRUCTURE: A National Challenge

Pollution Control Tool

Shortle’s research points to water quality trading as a water pollution control tool. “Trading has the potential to benefit farmers by offering a revenue stream from the sale of nutrient reduction credits generated by switching to farming practices aimed at reducing nutrients in surface waters,” he explained.

education—sharing research and practical applications with agricultural and environmental stakeholders at seminars and workshops. Both internal and external partners are also working on doing a better job of assessing and communicating to the public how certain agricultural practices can be a benefit. A farm that has wetlands, for instance, is cleaning and recharging water that supplies groundwater used for drinking, as well as replenishing stream flows that support fisheries. Organizations such as farm feed stores are being trained to recognize the importance of their feed formulas in contributing to water pollution and to communicate appropriate feeding regimens to their farm clients.

Penn State’s Cooperative Wetlands Center (http://www.wetlands.psu.edu), directed by Dr. Robert Brooks, for 15 years has produced scientifically valid assessment tools for the conservation and restoration of wetlands, wildlife and aquatic resources. Current projects include: 4 Mid-Atlantic States Wetlands Assess-

ment: Penn State and Virginia Institute of Marine Science teams are sampling 400 wetlands in five states over two years to assess the health of these ecosystems. 4 Best Management Practices (BMPs)

Both photos: Gordon Harkins for the College of Agricultural Sciences

Dr. Douglas Beegle leads an effort to train farmers to develop nutrient management plans.

Dr. James Shortle’s research is aimed at balancing agriculture and the environment.

Preserving Wetlands

What are the next steps? Shortle and College of Agricultural Sciences colleagues are developing and extending farming practices and systems to improve the environmental performance of agriculture. Other plans include policy research and analysis and policy

The progress of these strategies and others will be posted online at http:// www.enri.cas.psu.edu and http:// aec.cas.psu.edu. Saacke Blunk added, “We’re focused on creating a future where Pennsylvania agriculture is in balance with the environment.”

in Spring Creek Watershed: Brooks and his team are conducting ecological monitoring and other analyses, while Dr. James Shortle of Penn State’s Environment and Natural Resources Institute is assessing landowners and residents’ attitudes and perceptions about adopting BMPs for the watershed. Project partners include Canaan Valley Institute and Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. 4 Pennsylvania’s Mitigation Wetlands:

A sampling of 120 wetland mitigation and restoration projects around the Commonwealth will be compared to the center’s unique set of natural reference wetlands. The goal is to design mitigation projects to mimic natural wetlands so they function more effectively.

ASK THE EXPERT

Interview by Melissa W. Kaye

Q:

Can you tell us about your new role at the National Association of Manufacturers?

What Works

A:

The National Association of Manufacturers is the principal advocacy association for manufacturers. Manufacturers have identified education reform and workforce issues as a top priority for continued productivity and growth. My role is to ramp up the education, research and innovation efforts of the organization.

for the

Labor Expert

Q:

What do you hope to accomplish as senior policy fellow in Penn State’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development?

A:

Emily Stover DeRocco discusses the role of universities in economic and workforce development

14 · Penn State Outreach Magazine

Steve Tressler/Vista Professional Studios

I

n her former position as assistant secretary for Employment and Training in the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Emily Stover DeRocco (Penn State, 1971) was involved in developing the university role in regional economic transformation across the country. DeRocco, now senior vice president of the National Association of Manufacturers, has been appointed visiting senior policy fellow in Penn State Outreach’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development. DeRocco answered questions from Penn State Outreach magazine about her new fellowship and how Penn State can expand its impact in the Commonwealth.

Emily Stover DeRocco of the National Association of Manufacturers believes universities can drive a culture of innovation.

Universities can play a leadership role in bringing strategic partners together, in connecting research and development with venture capital to drive economic growth and create jobs, and in driving a culture of innovation by supporting entrepreneurs. Additionally, they can be innovators in talent development strategies. Penn State has recognized its power in regional economic and talent development and is looking to expand its impact in the Commonwealth. My role as fellow is to bring my work experience in formulating and implementing regional competitiveness strategies and continue to both learn and teach in this environment.

Q:

How has the role of public research universities in economic and workforce development changed as we move into an innovation economy?

A:

Universities, particularly land-grant universities, have been expanding their mission. They are becoming key drivers of regional economic development. Many had moved away from a core mission of economic development, and now they are recognizing their potential in driving economic growth and fostering innovation—expanding the university’s role in the innovation life cycle from the R&D in university labs to moving “mind to market” and creating jobs.

do you see as Penn Q: What State’s opportunity in this?

A:

Penn State can lead in substantial reform to our education system. We need to be innovative in how we design curricula to address the skills employers need. For example, Penn State is a leader in the Pennsylvania Plastics Initiative [an effort to ensure an adequate supply of future trained plastics workers]. The University was paired with the right partners on this effort and is demonstrating how talent development can drive and support economic development.

An individual will change jobs seven to 10 times

Job Seekers Look Here

during his or her work life, according to statistics, making it necessary for workers globally to develop new skills. Enter a forthcoming Web site, an effort of Penn State Outreach, the Sloan Foundation and the U.S. Department of Labor, that will provide adults with information on online certificate and degree programs that respond to state workforce needs. Initially, Maine, Mississippi, Pennsylvania and Colorado are participating in the portal. The long-term goal is to expand it nationwide. The aim is to ensure that online learning programs across the nation can be brought to bear to help working adults and new workers contribute to the economy of their region, according to Penn State Outreach’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development.

Q:

Your leadership in developing the Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development initiative, known as WIRED, while you were at the DOL was recognized as a critical policy effort to focus on regional competitiveness. Why is this initiative so important?

A:

WIRED showed the importance of regional broad-based partnerships—business, education and government—in aligning and leveraging resources to build competitive advantage in the 21st century global economy. WIRED took a comprehensive, holistic approach to economic and talent development—similar to Penn State’s. Many more universities are leading regional economic transformations. In order for universities to be successful in leading such an effort, they need to align the mission of the university administration, faculty and outreach efforts.

Brookings InstituQ: The tion recently suggested the need for a National Innovation Foundation, a National Science Foundation-like federal agency. What might come out of this Brookings report and the thinking behind it?

A:

The report recognized the WIRED success in aligning resources and expertise from multiple agencies available via separate programs to support economic and talent development to meet the challenges of today’s innovation economy. An Innovation Foundation would leverage and align these programs and services to support the development of a 21st century economic strategy. We hope that Brookings’ recommendation does get legs in Congress and unleashes the resources and potential of our nation to drive the innovation economy forward.

Fall 2008 · 15

INSIDE OUTREACH

By Melissa W. Kaye and Matt Swayne

ON Engagement

In a short period of time, the field of supply chain management has become a strategically essential discipline for business—linking together manufacturers, retailers, logistics providers and customers to make a flowing network. “Companies are seeking supply chain professionals who have the higher-order skills and abilities needed to think in tandem about people, processes and technology,” said Dr. Gary Gittings, online supply chain instructor in Penn State’s Smeal College of Business. Marketplace needs have led to the creation of the new online Master’s in Supply Chain Management, offered by Smeal College in conjunction with Penn State World Campus, one of the few online graduate degree programs in supply chain management in the country. “Academics and professionals recognize Penn State as a top-tier university in supply chain management education,” explained Gittings. “Penn State was partially addressing the need for online supply chain management graduate education through its 12-credit online graduate certificate program. The market, however, particularly a number of certificate graduates and sponsors of Penn State’s Center for Supply Chain Research, were asking for an online master’s degree program.” The two-year program (http://www.worldcampus.psu. edu/MasterinSupplyChainManagement) was launched last year. Some students, who had certificate credits, will be completing the program this fall.

Dr. Lakshman Yapa (left), professor of geography in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences at Penn State, decided to investigate whether it was possible to improve the quality of life in West Philadelphia—a community with a high poverty rate and a legacy of unsuccessful funding initiatives—believing that more jobs and money might not be the answer. The result was Rethinking Urban Poverty: the Philadelphia Field Project, a unique servicelearning course that has generated more than 60 student-run projects addressing critical needs in areas as diverse as credit cooperatives, transportation and nutrition. For his efforts, the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges and the Outreach Scholarship Partnership recognized Yapa, a past recipient of the Faculty Outreach Award, with the Northeast region’s 2008 C. Peter Magrath Engagement Award. As part of the national competition among the regional Magrath winners, Yapa prepared a presentation about his work for the 2008 Outreach Scholarship Conference on Oct. 7–9 at Penn State. Conference planners include the Partnership—Penn State, University of Wisconsin-Extension, Ohio State University, University of Georgia, University of Alabama, North Carolina State University, Michigan State University, University of Kentucky and Purdue University—and Penn State Outreach’s Conferences unit. Yapa offers some passionate words about scholarly engagement, as evident in his commencement address to the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences: “The university is one of the most important institutions in the world, for it alone has the capacity to challenge our imagination; it alone has the vast reserves of skills, competencies and personnel, and it alone through its colleges, departments and institutes has a unique organizational structure to deploy nonsovereign power to make the world better.”

polish for the wood industry The wood products industry is big business in the eastern United States, but industry members are suffering from both the housing bust and foreign competition. That led the federal government and a key industry trade group to team up and approach Penn State for help in developing education programs to increase the management skills of industry leaders. Dr. Judd Michael, faculty member in the College of Agricultural Sciences’ School of Forest Resources, and Dr. John Park from Penn State Outreach’s Management Development Programs and Services, secured a federal grant from the United States Department of Agriculture Wood Education and Resource Center to deliver a customized training program to executives and managers from a variety of wood manufacturers. The federal grant had matching funds from the National Hardwood Lumber Association. The two-day short courses were delivered in March and June.

16 · Penn State Outreach Magazine

multicultural program recognized Wood industry professionals take part in leadership training.

As part of the grant, Michael and Park are also conducting a study of the competencies that managers and supervisors in this field need to succeed.

Exploring the Indigenous Ways of Knowing of the Ojibwe, jointly sponsored by the Colleges of Education and Agricultural Sciences in partnership with Penn State Conferences, has been selected to receive the 2008 Rose Duhon-Sells Program Award. This survey course, led by Dr. Bruce Martin, allows participants to fully immerse themselves into the Ojibwe culture in northern Minnesota.

world campus student spotlight Using GIS for Public Health By plotting the distribution of cases in an 1854 cholera outbreak in London on a map, physician Dr. John Snow was able to pinpoint the source of the epidemic—a contaminated well. Penn State World Campus Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Lee Weissman

Lakshman Yapa

The Strongest Link

Chris Goranson left the Big Apple for a prestigious fellowship in Japan.

master’s student Chris Goranson is following in the footsteps of this pioneer, but with some high-tech help. Goranson, director of the GIS Center at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, received a National Science Foundation fellowship to work with scientists from Japan’s National Institute of Public Health on a project that uses computer modeling to detect patterns that may indicate potential health concerns. Goranson said that the online GIS courses, offered in conjunction with Penn State’s College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/MasterinGIS), were instrumental in attaining the fellowship. “I have enjoyed the online GIS classes immensely,” Goranson said. “I wouldn’t have even considered applying for the fellowship if it wasn’t for the program.”

Fall 2008 · 17

ARTS & HUMANITIES

By Amy Milgrub Marshall and Kristen Sedor

An annual festival aims to give students at a high school in New York insight into authors they are currently studying, as well as an understanding of the life of a scholar, through a panel discussion featuring nationally and internationally known experts on American authors. Founded in 2000 by Dr. Richard Kopley, Penn State DuBois professor of English, at his alma mater, New Rochelle High School, the literary festival centers this October on the Transcendentalists. Penn State faculty Drs. Phyllis Cole (Brandywine) and Sandra Petrulionis (Altoona) have joined the panel. Past festivals have focused on Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Robert Frost, among others. “I think the speakers convey to the students a sense of the adventure of reading and of scholarly discovery,” said Kopley, who organized with Penn State Conferences the 2008 Nathaniel Hawthorne Society Summer Meeting at Bowdoin College, sponsored by the Transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau Nathaniel Hawthorne Society and Penn State’s College of the Liberal Arts, University College, Center for American Literary Studies, Department of English and DuBois campus. Added Leslie Altschul, Language Arts chair at New Rochelle High School, “The visiting professors … showcase the joys and rewards that accrue from lifelong learning.”

Messages of Hope

The members of the Save Darfur: Central Pennsylvania chapter have been working to raise awareness and financial support for its mission to help the victims of genocide in Darfur, Sudan— under the direction of Dr. Lee Ann De Reus, Penn State Altoona associate professor of human development and family

18 · Penn State Outreach Magazine

enhancing arts Instruction

i n t e r i o r a r c h i t e c t u r e | deviant style When is dirt more than, well, dirt? When you consider how race, gender, ethnicity and class play a part in a person’s definition of the term, according to British architecture scholar Ben Campkin. In the exhibition “Dirty House, Dirty City,” Campkin examines how those issues, in historical and cultural contexts, influence attitudes toward dirt and cleanliness. The exhibit is part of “Deviant Decoration: The Architectural Interior,” a yearlong lecture and exhibition series from the Penn State Department of Architecture, launched at the University Park campus in spring 2008. This fall’s focus is ecological design, with speakers addressing issues of urban recycling and biological systems in relation to the interior. “We used ‘deviant’ in the series title

Computer-based learning is taking new shape as components for studio classes like sculpting, art and dance are increasingly available online through Penn State’s e-Learning Institute, a division of the College of Arts and Architecture. “Whenever you can digitally capture a studio component, you have the ability to enhance the instruction by making it conveniently available to the students anytime,” said Dr. Keith Bailey, e-Learning Institute director, adding that students in all disciplines are demanding instructional technology. The online format doesn’t replace a studio, explains Bailey, but enlarges the scope of a classroom. A small but energetic group explored the challenges of instructional technology in the arts at the third annual Designs on e-Learning Conference this September—sponsored by the institute and the University of the Arts London, with Penn State Outreach’s Conferences unit—the only e-learning conference focused on arts and design. “Designs,” with support from Penn State’s Education Technology Services, a division of Teaching and Learning with Technology, provided a hands-on workshop allowing participants to experience for themselves new technologies that can be easily and inexpensively incorporated into the arts and design classroom, said Virginia Belser, who coordinated the conference with Bailey. Other conference themes focused on the development of faculty-student relationships, funding and innovations.

studies and women’s studies. Next fall they are headed to the Altoona Curve for an overnight Tents of Hope event to “raise awareness about refugee children around the world,” said De Reus. For more information about this and other events, contact De Reus at [email protected].

because we are featuring speakers who are at the forefront of architectural theory and practice—people who are radically rethinking how we live and behave,” explains Christine Gorby, associate professor of architecture and series coordinator. In the spring, the series will explore the concerns, both physical and psychological, of the disabled in engineered settings. The exhibition, “Disability Arts,” will feature the first building to house the National Disability Arts Collection and Archive in England, designed by Sarah Wigglesworth Architects. Located in a nature reserve, the totally accessible building will provide extensive storage areas, plus a space

where visitors can handle fragile objects. Last spring events focused on feminism and domestic space, with an exhibition featuring quilter Mozell Benson’s new studio. As one of 10 children born and raised in rural Alabama, Benson learned how to quilt as a necessity but never had sufficient studio space. “I’ve learned that you can make something out of nothing, and that’s what I want to teach people,” she says. The Penn State Institute for the Arts and Humanities and the Department of Architecture are funding the series. For a full schedule, visit http://www.arch. psu.edu or call 814-865-9535. College of the Liberal Arts faculty were involved in the initial planning of the series.

A photo of quilter Mozell Benson’s Alabama studio is shown in an exhibit on feminism and domestic space.

Sheri Schumacher, Auburn University

A Celebration of Authors

Fall 2008 · 19

Theo Anderson © 2007

By Kay Shirk

4-Her’s engage in a science experiment.

Building Smart for the Elderly A “smart” house that can remind the elderly to take medications, track when they turn on the stove and monitor visitors is under development at Blueroof Technologies Inc., a McKeesport, Pa.-based nonprofit corporation co-founded by Bob Wal-

A simple cottage can provide independence.

20 · Penn State Outreach Magazine

ters, a Penn State Greater Allegheny engineering professor. A model cottage has already been constructed in Blueroof’s McKeesport Independence Zone (McKIZ), a 10-acre site designated for the homes. “We will have about 15 new smart, accessible, affordable and green homes in McKIZ when it is finished in three years,” said Walters. He and John Bertoty, a retired high school principal, started the company to benefit McKeesport’s elderly and disabled and create jobs in the region. Walters has recruited help across Penn State, working with the Smart Spaces Center at University

Improving Life Skills

In an effort to trim energy costs and waste production, the Fairview Swiss Cheese Plant in Fredonia, Pa., is implementing a new anaerobic treatment system to process whey—a byproduct of the cheese-making process. “The system generates 2.3 million kilowatt hours per year of electricity and offsets about $400,000 per year in energy and waste disposal costs when electric rate caps are removed,” said Tom Wilson, Penn State Cooperative Extension educator in Crawford County, who helped Fairview develop the system. Whey can be applied to farm fields as a fertilizer; however, the need to spread it on fields throughout the year (even during the winter when plants

T h ro u g h 4 - H Could bottle-feeding baby goats help to increase a young caregiver’s life skills? A new study says that it can. The four-year study, conducted by faculty members in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, evaluated 1,190 Pennsylvania youths before and after they participated in Penn State Cooperative Extension’s 4-H activities. The youths, aged 7 to 17, completed a survey that demonstrated their life skills improved after participation in projects ranging from animal science to expressive arts to citizenship. For example, communication abilities increased by 10 percent, and goal-setting proficiency climbed 11 percent. The survey also showed that 4-H participants were more likely to engage in civic activities. Dr. Daniel Perkins, who conducted the study with Dr. Claudia C. Mincemoyer, is an advisory board member for a similar national study led by Tufts University. “These findings correlated to the Tufts survey conducted in 25 states,” said Perkins. That study of positive youth development involved more than 4,000 youth and 2,000 parents.

Park, a multi-disciplinary program to develop spaces that will enable people to live safely and independently in their own homes as long as possible. Students at Penn State Greater Allegheny assist with installing wiring, designing prototypes of smart projects to integrate into the houses, and gathering input from senior citizens about technology use that can benefit them in their own homes. “We can then provide the technology to bridge the gap between what they want to do and what they can do,” said Bertoty.

ENERGY & THE ENVIRONMENT

By Sara LaJeunesse

Cheese Plant

Cuts Out the Fat are not growing), as well as an increasing cost of disposal, called for an alternative solution. Fairview’s anaerobic digestion system—partially funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection—relies on bacteria to break down the liquid whey. The oxygen that is created is converted into a gas that can be used to produce energy.

Seeing the Forest for More Than the Trees

Courtesy of Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center

CHILDREN, YOUTH & FAMILIES

Morel mushrooms can fetch up to $50 a pound.

The cheese company also is planning to process rinse water from the nearby Joy Cone Company, an ice cream cone manufacturer whose most expensive waste product is rinse water containing high amounts of sugar. The digester will process 50,000 gallons of waste per day from the two companies combined. “The anaerobic digestion system is an innovative solution to an environmental and economic problem,” said Wilson.

While the discovery of a patch of morel mushrooms on a forest floor is enough to send the gourmands among us into a fit of epicurean ecstasy, to a property owner educated about the benefits of nontimber forest products, the find also conjures visions of dollar signs. That’s because the delicacies can fetch up to $50 per pound. And morels aren’t the only valuable nontimber product to be found in Pennsylvania’s forests. American wild ginseng, for example, brings more than $1,000 per pound. “I see tremendous economic opportunity for Pennsylvanians to engage in various nontimber forest product industries,” said Eric Burkhart, instructor and program director at Penn State Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center, a unit of Outreach. Burkhart is leading an effort that aims to educate Pennsylvania forestland owners about the benefits of growing and selling nontimber forest products—such as American ginseng, goldenseal, mushrooms, maple syrup and wild leeks—in workshops throughout the state. Because some of these products are rare—American ginseng populations have suffered from overharvesting— Burkhart stresses to landowners the importance of conservation and growing ginseng in a sustainable way. “I believe that everyone should do their part to conserve these resources through active planting, tending and harvesting,” he said. Dr. Michael Jacobson, Penn State associate professor of forest resources, collaborates with Burkhart and also leads efforts to promote nontimber forest products in other countries, including South Africa, Bangladesh and Mozambique.

Fall 2008 · 21

ENERGY & THE ENVIRONMENT

Dr. Sjoerd Duiker (center)

Please Don’t Till the Soil

22 · Penn State Outreach Magazine

for farmers to use the land more intensively. No-till methods also reduce soil erosion and the loss of organic matter, and they help to save soil moisture.” Duiker has led many workshops on no-till farming methods, including two workshops for Amish farmers in Lancaster County. “The Amish are now adopting no-till methods very fast,” he said. He has also collaborated with the Centre County Conservation District, Centre County Cooperative Extension and crop consultants on a project to assist farmers in one aspect of no-till farming: growing legume cover crops prior to corn crops to replenish soil nitrogen.

Kitchen and yard wastes comprise 30 percent of the garbage Pennsylvanians throw away each week. According to Dr. Richard Stehouwer, associate professor in Penn State’s Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, “These food and yard wastes are valuable materials that can replace store-bought garden fertilizer.” Since 2000, Stehouwer has been coordinating a program, funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and taught by Penn State Cooperative Extension, for Pennsylvanians to learn how to transform their organic wastes into compost. In 2007, 93 percent of workshop participants who completed a survey said that they either are composting or plan to compost more organic materials than they had before they attended the workshop. So far, the program has: 4 Held more than 1,700 workshops 4 Reached 50,000 households 4 Distributed more than 55,000 compost bins

“Nitrogen fertilizer is responsible for about 30 percent of the fossil energy use in U.S. crop production,” he said. “So if legumes supply that nitrogen to the next crop that will be grown, we can make another significant dent in the amount of fossil energy that is used. Nitrogen fertilizer also has become much more expensive, so leguminous cover crops are economically attractive for farmers.”

A training program brings translation to a whole new level

Larger Role for Interpreters The Reading Hospital and Medical Center

Turning Garbage into Gold

Good compost needs a balanced “diet.”

Tilling soil is an age-old farming activity, yet it is fast becoming a thing of the past. The Crop Management Extension Group at Penn State is contributing to this change by educating farmers throughout the state on the benefits of no-till crop production. “Soil tillage requires well over half of the engine power expended on American farms,” said Dr. Sjoerd Duiker, Penn State associate professor of soil management and applied soil physics and a member of the Crop Management Extension Group. “No-till methods reduce the use of fossil fuels, they save farmers’ time, and they make it possible

HEALTH

By Kay Shirk

A doctor asked his patient, who spoke little English, a question through an interpreter, who then engaged in a lengthy discussion with the patient. The interpreter turned to the doctor and replied, “She said ‘No.’” The doctor asked what the patient said, and the interpreter smiled and replied, “Oh, it wasn’t important. She just means ‘No.’” This conversation underscores the critical need for more medical interpreters who can act as advocates for their limited-English language proficient clients, accurately relaying information between patient and medical personnel. “In Pennsylvania there are about 1 million people whose mother tongue is a language other than English,” says Dr. Robert Schrauf, medical anthropologist and Penn State associate professor of applied linguistics. When these individuals go to the doctor or the hospital, they want to understand the medical staff just as much as you and I do.”

A health care provider works with an interpreter to learn a patient’s needs.

Pennsylvania now has only one trained medical interpreter per 10,154 individuals with limited-English proficiency. Earlier training approaches involved teaching medical terminology, but it’s now evident that the interpreters should play a much larger role. To address the need for a high-quality training program of broader scope, Schrauf and Priscilla Ortiz, a medical interpreter and doctoral student in applied linguistics, designed the curriculum for Penn State’s new Health Care Interpreting Certificate Program.

Complex Personal Factors

Funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and administered by Penn State Outreach’s Continuing Education and the Department of Applied Linguistics in the College of the Liberal Arts, the initiative will be offered start-

ing this spring from the University Park campus to selected branch campuses via video-conferencing and Internet-based distance learning technologies. Those eligible for the training include people who are already bilingual in English and at least one other language and who are currently employed in a health care setting. The course topics go a step beyond most interpreter training programs that focus on “translating” and include the complex cultural, social and psychological factors involved in helping people to understand one another. “It is significant in that it strives to give interpreters an opportunity to reach a greater level of professionalism in their field,” said Ortiz. Schrauf noted that the effort reflects a wider movement to provide interpreter training and to develop an appropriate national certification process.

Fall 2008 · 23

K–12 Education

By Karen Cavaliere Zitomer

Literacy Improving WPSU inspires young readers in low-income communities “Miss Lori is real!”

The little boy could hardly contain his excitement as he ran to his parents. He had just met Miss Lori, host of PBS Kids, at a “Kid Connection” event in Lewistown. Bringing Miss Lori to the occasion was one of the many ways in which Penn State’s WPSU and community partners such as the United Way and Mifflin County Library have engaged low-income Lewistown-area children and families, as well as educators, in an effort to improve literacy. Over the past year, WPSU also has hosted family nights, day care workshops and booths at youth-centered community events. The outreach is part of a national PBS Kids Raising Readers literacy initiative, funded by the U.S. Department of Education; WPSU was selected as one of 10 Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) partners to participate in the initiative. The initiative uses entertaining, research-based PBS Kids programs like the new “SUPER WHY!” and “WordWorld,” as well as classics like “Sesame Street,” as tools to meet the literacy needs of at-risk children ages 2 to 8. Multimedia educational materials based on these shows complement the programming, all of which are designed

24 · Penn State Outreach Magazine

Celeb to young PBS watchers, Miss Lori reads to a crowd in Lewistown.

to increase understanding of phonics, vocabulary, letter recognition and comprehension.

TV as Learning Tool

“We have been able to show parents and caregivers how to use television as not only entertainment, but also an educational tool,” said Jessica Peters, program specialist with educational services at WPSU. “It’s so rewarding to go to Mifflin County and hear stories from parents telling us how their child is interested in reading from ‘SUPER

WHY’ and learned how to spell from ‘WordWorld.’” WPSU also introduced “Passport to Reading”—a program that motivates kids to read a checklist of books—to several thousand children in Lewistown and distributed 700 books from this year’s selection of the “Pennsylvania One Book, Every Young Child” program. “WPSU is bringing PBS programming to life—helping to inspire a new generation of readers,” said Dr. Babs Bengtson, director of educational services for WPSU.

Over the last five years, students of Dr. Barrie Litzky, assistant professor of management and organization at Penn State Great Valley, have provided pro bono business counseling services to nearly 40 socially conscious businesses and nonprofits. Local high school students participate free of charge, learning business skills from graduate student mentors. For example, M.B.A. and Leadership Development graduate students worked with high schoolers to devise a business plan for the continued success of Camp Possibilities, a program that provides education and camping activities for children with Type 1 diabetes from low- to middle-income families. “I have been able to apply the information generated by Dr. Litzky’s students to help problem-solve a number of our current issues,” said Jeff E. Dietz, founder and executive director of Camp Possibilities. “Entrepreneurs are particularly good at recognizing opportunities, exploring innovative approaches, mobilizing resources, managing risks and building viable enterprises,” noted Litzky. “These skills are just as valuable in the social sector as they are in business.” Twenty high school students participate, mostly from Malvern Preparatory School, Conestoga High School and Great Valley. “The high school students add a lot of value to the classroom experience because they tend not to censor their creative ideas the way adults do,” said Litzky. “They benefit by interacting with business and community professionals, making contacts, gauging course loads for their upcoming collegiate experiences, and seeing firsthand the positive outcomes that can be achieved in the world.”

High schoolers learn business skills from mentors at Penn State Great Valley—and help socially minded organizations in the process

The social

SCENE

Impact Around the Globe

The impact of this course is felt around As a grad student and mentor, Michael Katz (kneeling) worked on Camp Possibilities’ business plan. the globe. For the Ray of Hope Foundation, which seeks to provide medical care paign to increase the involvement of its membership. for children in India, the student team performed a strategic A number of organizations are on the waiting list for the analysis, identified funding organizations and performed a course, and dozens of others have requested information on social-impact analysis to help in the grant-writing process. participating. “Organizations are chosen based on their triple For the West Africa American Trading Company, a sustainbottom line philosophy (profit, people and planet), willingable trading company with offices in Monrovia, Liberia, the ness to actively participate in the course and having a busigroup developed a five-year strategic plan. ness need that the students can achieve in the time frame of Students also helped Selene Whole Foods Cooperative in the course,” said Litzky. Media, Pa., the nation’s first Fair Trade Town, with a cam-

Fall 2008 · 25

K–12 EDUCATION

SAFETY & SECURITY

By Dave Aneckstein

an annual Teen Pregnancy Prevention Conference with Penn State Conferences at the University Park campus. The first six PLASE workshops will be delivered at Penn State campuses throughout the state this fall. These workshops, funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, will focus on the prevention of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases. In spring 2009,

four more workshops focusing on other aspects of sexuality education will be offered at University Park. These spring workshops are partially funded through a grant from the Penn State Outreach Thematic Initiative Fund. The workshops will be delivered via Penn State Conferences and Continuing and Professional Education Outreach units in conjunction with the College of Health and Human Development. “By pooling our knowledge and experiences, this statewide collaborative effort will have a significant positive impact on the health and well-being of Pennsylvania youth, through the efforts of our dedicated school and community professionals,” said Koch. For more information about PLASE, contact Koch at [email protected].

The Art of Teaching Science Penn State is inspiring future scientists by building strong science-education foundations for children in the Reading and Philadelphia areas. Penn State Berks is leading a three-year science education–improvement initiative in the Reading School District, thanks to the support of the Wyomissing-based Carpenter Technology Corporation. The new initiative involves facilitating a revision of K–5 science curricula consistent with Pennsylvania’s academic standards, helping to acquire hands-on science materials, holding science camps for children and their families and providing professional development and graduate training for teachers and administrators. “It is essential that young students develop

26 · Penn State Outreach Magazine

both a good foundation and an interest in science at the elementary school level in order to build upon their knowledge and motivation as they progress to the upper grades of school,” said Dr. David S. Bender, associate professor of educational psychology and program coordinator of elementary education at Penn State Berks. In the Philadelphia area, Dr. Kathy Fadigan, assistant professor of science education at Penn State’s Abington and Great Valley campuses, has been encouraging urban youth in grades 4–12 to pursue academic achievement and careers in science, through her work with the city’s annual George Washington Carver Science Fair. Fadigan recruits and trains the fair’s judges—professional scientists and educa-

Judges spend time with participants at an annual science fair, offering constructive feedback.

tors from local school districts, industry, and medical and higher education institutions (including Penn State)—who serve as mentors and provide constructive feedback to the 800 children who compete. “This is our next generation of researchers and engineers, so it is crucial they have the support of the entire community,” said Fadigan.

Surge Protection A regional hospital partnership prepares for the next big crisis

Courtesy of Frank Hess

S ex u a lity E d u ca t i o n

With teen pregnancy back on the rise across the state and nation, sexuality education is critically needed, according to Dr. Patricia Barthalow Koch, professor of biobehavioral health in Penn State’s College of Health and Human Development. Koch is the faculty director of the Pennsylvania Learning Academy for Sexuality Education (PLASE), a new initiative providing education and training to teachers, counselors, health care providers and other professionals who present sexuality education to students, families, clients and patients, among others. PLASE is a collaborative effort between the Department of Biobehavioral Health and the Pennsylvania Coalition to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, which holds

Jan. 29, 2008, is a day Dr.

Thomas Terndrup won’t soon forget. That rush hour morning, freezing rain hit the Harrisburg area, causing traffic accidents throughout the region. As professor and chair for the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, Terndrup witnessed a significant surge in accident victims come through the emergency room doors. The ER, which typically sees around 10 people in an hour at that time of day, treated 85 injured commuters over the course of 90 minutes. By the end of that morning, 274 injured people had checked into regional hospital ERs. It was then that Terndrup confirmed just how important his new initiative would be. Formed during the fall of 2007, the Healthcare Facilities Partnership of South Central Pennsylvania aims to improve regional communication, interaction and cooperation for better emergency preparedness in the region during a public health crisis. The partnership is comprised of 17 hospitals in eight counties (Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York) and is funded with a $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “In these times of increased uncertainty, emergency preparedness

Partners participate in a pandemic influenza outbreak simulation.

is vitally important. Our goal is to improve surge capacity and enhance community and hospital preparedness for public health emergencies,” said Terndrup. “In so doing, the partnership would increase health care staff mobilizing to support hospitals facing surge demands.” The procedures to achieve this include mock drills, systematic activation enhancements and better coordination between response entities, and updated mutual aid agreements between partner hospitals, among others.

From Three Mile Island to New Concerns

South central Pennsylvania is no stranger to public health emergencies.

On March 28, 1979, human and mechanical errors led to the partial meltdown of a reactor core at the nearby Three Mile Island (TMI) nuclear power plant, resulting in small discharges of radioactivity. Today’s potential public health scenarios are no less challenging—from a lethal outbreak of pandemic influenza to terrorists attacking the remaining TMI reactor and unleashing a radioactive cloud, a mere 13 miles from the State Capitol. “Surge capacity is critical,” said partnership member Frank Hess, emergency management coordinator for PinnacleHealth System. “We were very pleased that [Penn State] Hershey was willing to take the lead.”

Fall 2008 · 27

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

By Sara LaJeunesse

Big Steps for

Strengthening Cyber Security

Small-town Hospitals Rural health care professionals sharpen their skills and benefit their facilities

Jessica Simmons

Whether by terrorism or natural disaster, the nation’s financial system is always at risk. According to Dr. Abdullah Konak, associate professor of information sciences and technology, “Threats to privacy and security have increased over the last decade, so there is a great demand for an informationsecurity-enabled workforce.” That’s why Penn State Berks Continuing Education and Reading Area Community College offered this summer to teenagers a Computer and Cyber Security Camp, developed by Konak, that exposes students to careers in computer security, particularly in the financial services industry. The campus has other related projects in the works, including a professional development program for high school teachers. The camp—also held at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, with Luzerne County Community College, and Penn State Worthington Scranton—was funded by Wall Street West, a partnership of northeastern Pennsylvania groups whose goal is to develop a back-up solution for New York City’s financial institutions in the event of a disaster. Penn State Berks aims to help achieve this goal by “reaching out to regional

IN TRAINING: There is a great demand for an information-security-enabled workforce.

high schools, creating collaborations and transferring educational technology between the higher education institutions in the region, and offering professional development in information assurance and risk analysis education,” said Walt Fullam, director of Penn State Berks Continuing Education. A more research-oriented initiative at Penn State Altoona focuses on im-

Horse ID’s

The horse industry

contributes more than $39 billion to the U.S. economy and employs more than 1.4 million people, according to the American Horse Council. But equines, like other animals, are susceptible to diseases, theft and possibly bioterrorism. Researchers at Penn State are working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to assess whether implanting microchips into horses could minimize the impacts of such events. Microchips can help owners recover lost or stolen horses quickly and can help officials trace diseases. The USDA already has implemented a National Animal Identification System for which

Microchips can help owners recover horses.

Workforce, Community & Economic Development

By Deborah A. Benedetti

proving information systems security among local government officials in Pennsylvania. With a grant from the Center for Rural Pennsylvania, Altoona faculty Dr. Jungwoo Ryoo (information sciences), Dr. Tulay Girard (marketing) and Charlotte McConn (information systems) are assessing the computer security readiness of small municipalities throughout rural Pennsylvania.

participation currently is voluntary. “Education is the prime way to help the livestock population and especially the horse owners to accept the USDA system,” said Helene McKernan, equine research associate in the Penn State Department of Dairy and Animal Science, who is working on the project with Dr. Ann Swinker, associate professor of equine science. McKernan is giving presentations and leading workshops to educate people about horse microchipping. The research team is also collecting information regarding owners’ questions and concerns about microchipping through online, written and verbal surveys, which will be supplied to the USDA.

Twenty-four percent of Pennsylvania’s 12.3 million residents live in small, rural towns. These residents rely on their community hospitals for emergency medical care. “The hospital is the anchor of health care in any rural community,” said Lisa Davis, director of the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health. “Keeping these hospitals viable is absolutely essential.” In Pennsylvania, there are 13 rural facilities with 25 or fewer beds—designated by the federal government as Critical Access Hospitals (CAH). A major challenge for these hospitals is recruiting and retaining qualified individuals for clinical and administrative positions. To better learn their needs, the Office of Rural Health conducted a survey of Pennsylvania’s

CAHs, with the help of Penn State Outreach’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD). Dr. Janetta DeOnna of the OEWD found, among other things, that staff shortages in nursing and other clinical departments, as well as limited career paths, make “creating a culture that will entice new professionals to stay problematic.” The response: A new academy is helping to improve the supervisory and management skills of more than 100 participants from rural hospitals, emergency medical services units and health care providers. The Office of Rural Health, OEWD and another Outreach unit, Management Development Programs and Services, developed the initiative, with funding from the Outreach Thematic Initiative Fund and the federal Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Grant Program.

Team Project Key to Training

Launched in 2007 at three Penn State sites (Altoona, DuBois and Williamsport), a team-based performance improvement project is a key component of the training. “The goal is to take knowledge they gain in the academy, create a project that would benefit their hospital and share it with other hospitals,” explained Lawrence Baronner of the Office of Rural Health. Fifteen teams presented their projects during the 2008 Pennsylvania Rural Health Conference held in June at Penn State. Academy participant Joanie Delovich and her team at Troy Community Hospital in northeastern Pennsylvania created an interfacility transfer form to share medical information about a patient when transferring that patient within the hospital or to another facility. “It significantly helps us improve communication,” said Delovich, director of nursing. Other Pennsylvania hospitals also are adopting the form. Webinars gave participants hands-on experience with technology, another need identified in the survey, said Dr. Maureen Dodson of Management Development. A second academy with an upper-level management program is planned for this fall. For more information, contact the Office of Rural Health at 814-863-8214.

Fall 2008 · 29

WORKFORCE, COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Teaching Strategies for ESL

Students acquire new skills for a career change

When it came time to pick a college major, Manan Shah chose computer science because, as he said, “Everyone is doing it.” But after working as a senior systems analyst at a Philadelphia hospital, Shah admits, “I couldn’t do this for 30 years.” Now he’s considering earning M.D. and Ph.D. degrees and working in the infectious disease research field, but first he needs to enhance his science knowledge. Career-changers like Shah have chosen a booming employment field. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the

service-providing sector of the economy, which includes health care, is poised to add 8.1 million jobs through 2016. But qualifying for these careers will require additional education. Penn State Brandywine Continuing Education is responding with the new Accelerated Post-Baccalaureate Medical Sciences Certificate program, which is providing college graduates with the science courses needed for entrance into medical, dental and other allied health schools. The one-year program, delivered online, with twice-a-month, on-campus

sessions, is “giving students the security of a job and the ability to make a life and career change,” said Susan Currie, administrator for the program at Brandywine Continuing Education. Brandywine faculty Dr. Elizabeth Dudkin, associate professor of biology; Dr. John Tierney, professor of chemistry; and Dr. Paul deGategno, director of academic affairs, are currently preparing 12 students, spanning the ages 23 to 40, for new careers. This first group will complete the program in April 2009.

30 · Penn State Outreach Magazine

Penn State campuses respond to a growing population of ESL students with teacher training programs.

and will present their findings at an ESL conference. Penn State Berks has received $1.35 million from the ED for Project ISLAS (Increasing Second Language Learner Acquisition Skills)—a five-course, 15-credit, Penn State ESL certificate program, which meets PDE’s ESL certification requirements, said Penn State Berks Director of Continuing Education Walt Fullum. Kelly Paskowski, a teacher at Glenside Elementary School, said, “Project ISLAS has helped to bridge the gap that can be caused by language differences.”

PennTAP Success Story:

Leveling the Playing Field for Tech Companies

N u r s e s W anted

It can be difficult for small companies to get their technologies commercialized. That’s why Penn State Outreach’s Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program (PennTAP) has teamed up with the NASA Langley Research Center: to give small companies with

Bill Wallace

Brian Dietz and Troy Hartsock had each worked at Case New Holland, a farm equipment manufacturer, for nearly 20 years before the factory was slated to close. They decided to train for new careers as nurses at the Penn State Learning Center in Lewistown. As Dietz said, “I’ve always been interested in doing something where I could make a difference. Being a nurse is what I want to do. I’m glad I made this decision.” More than 20,000 registered and licensed practical nurses will be needed by 2010 in Pennsylvania. The Learning Center in Lewistown—a partnership of Lewistown Hospital’s School of Nursing and Penn State Continuing Education—is responding to this need by conducting general education and science courses for nursing students. Dr. Kirk A. Gilbert, the center’s science coordinator and rural health educator, leads this effort, which was initiated by Tom Walker, the center’s director. “Clinical care is an occupation that’s not dependent on the economy. We’ll always have patients to care for,” Gilbert said.

Photo Courtesy of Penn State Berks Continuing Education

From Computer Science to He a lth Science

School districts in southeastern Pennsylvania are seeing an increasing number of students who speak English as a second language. In Lebanon, for example, 35 percent of students need ESL assistance. To meet their learning needs, the No Child Left Behind Act and Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) recommend professional development in ESL for all teachers. Teaching English language learners “used to be done by ESL specialists, but now it’s everybody’s job,” said Penn State Lehigh Valley faculty Dr. Mary Hutchinson, who is coordinating a $1.31 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) for MODELL (Modular Design for English Language Learners). The MODELL program will enable 150 teachers in Bethlehem and Lebanon school districts and 25 college students to earn 6 ESL credits. Participants are working with National Writing Project consultants on classroom research projects

Troy Hartsock (left) and Brian Dietz used to work in a factory; they are now training to be nurses at the Penn State Learning Center.

innovative technologies a chance to link up with larger companies interested in acquiring and commercializing the technologies. This program is called TecFusion, and since 2006, the TecFusion team has held 18 forums nationwide. “The program increases commercialization opportunities for small companies,” said Garry Miller, PennTAP technology transfer and commercialization specialist and TecFusion coordinator. PennTAP, a federal-state-University partnership for economic development, is the only organization nationwide working with NASA to coordinate TecFusion. Major corporations host the forums, which feature technology mini-trade shows and presentations by small com-

panies that have received funding from the federal Small Business Innovation Research program to develop technologies of value to government agencies or to society. Pittsburgh, Pa.-based Mine Safety Appliance Company (MSA), a global manufacturer of safety products that has had a long-standing relationship with Penn State, has held two TecFusion events. TecFusion “helped us identify eight companies as potential technology partners. We now have active relationships with four companies and are contemplating possible new products,” said Bob Bonahoom of MSA. MSA reported $512,000 in cost savings, $5 million in increased sales and 10 new jobs created from the program.

ENDNOTE

By Matt Swayne

Volunteer OF THE Year Whether she’s collecting items from wellplaced friends for an auction or criss-crossing the Commonwealth building relationships for Penn State Outreach, Jane Zimmerman is driven by an unshakeable commitment to serve the organization and her community. “If you have a chance to give back to your community, I believe you should,” Zimmerman said. Zimmerman has been named the Fundraising Volunteer of the Year—an award given this September at the Penn State Development and Alumni Relations’ “For the Future Volunteer Summit.” “Jane is simply the best. She has done so much for so

Jane Zimmerman finds inspiration in the people she works with as well as those touched by Penn State Outreach

many units within Outreach, and she has set the standard for what a volunteer can do to help advance a fundraising campaign,” said Dr. Craig Weidemann, vice president for Outreach. “It’s exciting that she is When not volunteering for Outreach, Jane being recognized.” Zimmerman can be seen on the waters of Zimmerman, Edgartown, Mass. who serves as Outreach’s Volunteer Development Chair and as an Outreach Advisory Board member, has also been the unofficial backbone of Outreach’s relationship-building efforts. As chair, Zimmerman helped create new fundraising boards and committees for different Outreach units and programs. Her other roles include serving on Penn State Public Broadcasting’s Board of Representatives, Auction Committee and Connoisseur’s Dinner Committee. “Jane’s dedication to Connoisseur’s Dinner and Auction is extraordinary,” noted Sue Bryant, WPSU senior promotions associate. “She is involved from beginning to end with the selection of the guest chef and menu to the final gavel of the live auction.” Zimmerman also led the Digital Conversion Campaign for WPSU in 2002 and was named an honorary alumna that same year. In 2005 she received the Development and Alumni Relations’ Charles Lupton Volunteer of the Year award. “Because of Jane’s dedicated leadership, Outreach has exceeded its annual fundraising goal for the last four years,” noted Spencer Lewis, head development officer for Outreach. “Jane has played an unbelievable role in supporting our work and ability to raise more than $6.5 million this past year.”

Going the Extra Mile Jane Zimmerman’s late husband Bob Zimmerman had first encouraged her to volunteer for Penn State.

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Melinda Stearns, senior director of Client Development for Outreach, said that in addition to Zimmerman’s official roles,

her contributions behind the scenes are invaluable. For example, “Jane has opened her home to Outreach board members and friends of Outreach on many occasions, helping to create a warm and inviting environment,” Stearns said. Of this year’s award, Zimmerman said: “I was truly shocked. I know some of the people who have been named fundraiser volunteer of the year, and I’m very honored to be the latest addition to that list.” Zimmerman said her late husband, Bob Zimmerman— businessman, educator and Penn State devotee—had first encouraged her to volunteer for Penn State and Outreach. She continues to be inspired by the people she serves with and the people who have been touched by Outreach. “I have the pleasure to meet tremendous people from all over Pennsylvania—people working with 4-H, Extension, Continuing Education, Public Broadcasting and the World Campus,” Zimmerman said. “I really believe in the mission and am out every day at the Outreach building or on the road doing what I can to support it.”

LETTERS to the EDITOR THANK YOU so much for the great article and photos [“Fighting Cancer at the Grassroots,” Spring 2008]. I have had people call me to say: “Let’s get together because I want to tell you what I do and see if we can work together.” It is amazing!

I just wanted to drop a note to tell you how much I enjoy reading the Penn State Outreach magazine. I always learn something new and I always get a renewed sense of pride in what Penn State does for people in the Commonwealth. Thanks for putting it together.

Gene Lengerich Professor, Department of Public Health Sciences Penn State College of Medicine

Dr. Sharon E. Christ Director, Student & Enrollment Services Penn State York

[Lengerich was the recipient of the Faculty Outreach Award in 2008 for his work leading the Northern Appalachia Cancer Network.]

Please send letters to: [email protected].

Give Us Your Opinion We would love your opinion on the fall issue of the Penn State Outreach magazine. Please go to http://www.outreach.psu.edu/magazine/survey to take our survey or fill out the enclosed card and drop it in the mail. It will only take a few minutes to complete, and it will help shape future issues of the magazine. Thank you!

PENN STATE OUTREACH EDITORIAL STAFF Vice President for Outreach Dr. Craig D. Weidemann Executive Director Outreach Marketing and Communications Tracey D. Huston News and Communications Manager Outreach Marketing and Communications Dave Aneckstein Editor-in-Chief Melissa W. Kaye Art Director Tara Tallman Senior Writer Deborah A. Benedetti Writers Sara LaJeunesse Kristen Sedor Kay Shirk Matt Swayne Karen Cavaliere Zitomer Production Assistant Selma King

Penn State Outreach is published by Penn State Outreach Marketing and Communications. Penn State Outreach Marketing and Communications The Pennsylvania State University 301 Outreach Building University Park, PA 16802 Phone: 814-865-7600 Fax: 814-865-3343 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: http://live.psu.edu/outreach This publication is available in alternative media on request. Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce. U.Ed.OUT 08-1322tdh/dxa/mwk/tt Payne Printery © 2008 The Pennsylvania State University. For permission to reprint text from Penn State Outreach, contact Selma King (814-865-7600; [email protected]).