Beginning the week of June 8, Penn State Berks will reach out to the local community in a brand new way – through LionSide Chats, a modern interpretation of President Roosevelt’s Depression-era “Fireside Chats.”

Joseph Webb, director of student affairs at Penn State Berks, was recently honored with Penn State’s John Romano Faculty/Staff Diversity Recognition Award. The award recognizes Webb’s commitment to supporting diversity.

Penn State Berks students enrolled in the course “The Rhetoric of American Horror Films” encountered a new twist in this year’s syllabus. While in past semesters, students in CAS 415 would write an academic research paper analyzing the rhetoric of horror films, this spring students had the opportunity to submit creative projects, supported by research.

For the last decade, Janelle Larson has packed her bags after Penn State Berks’ spring commencement and traveled to Kenya. She does not make this journey for the purpose of a vacation; rather she has led a University-wide global outreach program.

Penn State University Police and Public Safety has appointed Iris Richardson as the department’s first director of diversity, equity and inclusion, following a national search that began in 2019.

Following a three-month comprehensive planning process, Penn State officials have determined that the University can meet or exceed the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s guidelines for colleges and universities, and look forward to welcoming back faculty, staff and students to resume on-campus, in-person classes and other activities this fall in a limited fashion.

University students and educators alike are grappling with turbulent times, and Penn State’s course on the “Art and Science of Human Flourishing” is well-positioned to help undergraduates to develop strategies for caring for themselves and others. Robert Roeser, Bennett Pierce Professor of Caring and Compassion, explored ways to adapt the course to current events, along with 23 colleagues from 10 Penn State campuses, University of Virginia and University of Wisconsin-Madison, during the morning of the 2nd Annual Human Flourishing Summer Teaching Institute, held on June 16 and 17 via Zoom.

When Liz (Weidner) and Nolan Campbell were making their wedding plans, they never dreamed that the coronavirus would wreak havoc on their big day.

Berks has a long history of offering educational and fun summer camps for middle school and high school children on a wide variety of subjects. This year, the pandemic has changed the way in which summer camps will be offered.

Justin DiAngelo, associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at Penn State Berks, was recently elected to the Drosophila Board of Directors of the Genetics Society of America (GSA), the leadership body of the Drosophila research community.