This year, each of Penn State Harrisburg’s five academic schools presented an Alumni Achievement Award to one of their graduates who demonstrates outstanding professional accomplishment. The awards, bestowed during the Alumni Awards Dinner, held in conjunction with Homecoming on Oct. 12, honor a diverse collection of talents and accomplishments from across the college.
Luke Kempski, a 1995 master’s of education in training and development graduate, received the Alumni Achievement Award from the School of Behavioral Science and Education. Since 2004, he has served as president of JPL, a marketing and communications company for regional, national, and global brands with headquarters in Harrisburg. Kempski’s efforts helped the company grow as a strategic, integrated communications provider and to expand into interactive media such as e-learning, Web development and webcasting.
The School of Business Administration presented its Alumni Achievement Award to E. Philip Wenger, who holds a bachelor’s degree in finance (1979) and a master of business administration (1987) from Penn State Harrisburg. Wenger is president and chief operations of Fulton Financial Corp., a $16 billion financial holding company based in Lancaster, Pa., which provides financial products and personalized services through banking offices in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and New Jersey. Wenger has held numerous positions within Fulton Financial Corp. since starting his career there shortly after graduation, including executive vice president of corporate banking; senior executive vice president of Lancaster, York and Chester counties; and chief operating officer.
Kathy Marley-Dunbar received the School of Humanities’ Alumni Achievement Award. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in American studies from Penn State Harrisburg (1989 and 1993). She has served on the Art Association of Harrisburg board of directors since 2007 and as the first Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC) Gettysburg Campus art exhibit coordinator, where she also taught as an adjunct professor, and is an active promoter of humanities and the arts through numerous volunteer positions. Marley-Dunbar also has been presented with awards for arranging a multicultural diversity arts program at HACC and for her fundraising efforts for the Art Association of Harrisburg.
The School of Public Affairs recognized Richard White, a 1997 graduate of the college’s doctoral program in public administration, with its Alumni Achievement Award. White serves as dean and Distinguished Professor of Business in the E.J. Ourso College of Business at Louisiana State University. Before working in academia, White was a senior officer in the U.S. Coast Guard. He is also a Pulitzer-nominated political biographer and author.
John Mason Jr., a 1972 Penn State Harrisburg transportation technology graduate, received the Alumni Achievement Award presented by the School of Science, Engineering and Technology. Since 2008, Mason has served as associate provost and vice president for research at Auburn University, responsible for research program development, sponsored programs, and technology transfer and commercialization. Before working at Auburn University, Mason served as associate dean for graduate studies, research and outreach in Penn State’s College of Engineering.