One year ago on Memorial Day, our nation watched in horror as George Floyd was killed on the streets of Minneapolis by the now former police officer Derek Chauvin. Today, he was found guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter by a jury after about 10 hours of deliberations. A jury found him guilty, yet this delivery of justice by our legal system does not mitigate the trauma, frustration and anger that members of our community are feeling over the death of George Floyd. It is palpable and profound and nothing can mitigate the fact that another innocent life was taken. We grieve because George Floyd was taken from his family and his community because of the wanton and unjustifiable abuse of power. We grieve because racism, inequality, and brutality in America persist.

As part of our regular "We Are!" feature, we recognize 10 Penn Staters who have gone above and beyond what's asked of them in their work at the University. Thank you Dawn, Felicia, Shannon, Danielle, Kelly, Halaina, Craig, Eric and Brenda — and to everyone who helps make Penn State such an incredible community.

Julie Ealy, associate professor of chemistry at Penn State Lehigh Valley; Eric Hudson, associate professor of physics in Eberly College of Science; and Kirwin Shaffer, professor of Latin American studies at Penn State Berks; have received the Alumni/Student Award for Excellence in Teaching and have been named 2021 Penn State Teaching Fellows.

Six Penn State faculty members have received the 2021 George W. Atherton Award for Excellence in Teaching. They are Julia Kregenow, associate teaching professor of astronomy and astrophysics in Eberly College of Science; Andrew Mowen, professor of recreation, park and tourism management in the College of Health and Human Development; Mary Napoli, associate professor of reading at Penn State Harrisburg; Marietta Scanlon, associate teaching professor of engineering at Penn State Berks; Sven Schmitz, associate professor of aerospace engineering in the College of Engineering; and Johnathan White, assistant teaching professor of history at Penn State Greater Allegheny.

Each year, Penn State recognizes outstanding faculty and staff with annual awards in teaching and excellence. These awards highlight many of the faculty and staff who go above and beyond.

When Penn State Berks senior Caitlin Morris walks across the stage to receive her diploma on May 8, she will already know what the next two years hold for her.

Berks theater program will stream its spring mainstage production, "Now and Then," online produced by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc. The play will premiere at 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 28, and will be available on the college’s YouTube site until May 1.

Brianna Mora, a senior at Penn State Berks, has put her passion for global studies, politics, and the Spanish language to work. As a result, she has recently been awarded the Penn State Student Engagement Remote Innovation Grant.

Arizona Shreck, a first-year student majoring in kinesiology at Penn State Berks, was recently awarded the Penn State Student Engagement Remote Innovation Grant in support of her research on heart rate variability (HRV), measured by the Oura Ring.

The final Penn State Berks LionSide Chat for the spring 2021 semester will feature an interview with Chancellor George Grant, who assumed this leadership role in January.