A crowd of faculty, staff, retirees and special guests gathered in the Port Sky Cafe Friday, June 5 for a luncheon celebrating the life and career of Athleen J. Stere.
Penn State Altoona's revered College Marshal, Stere was the first woman to hold a teaching fellowship at Harvard University. Having completed her doctorate at Penn State, Stere joined the University in 1963 and accepted an appointment in 1971 at Penn State Altoona, eventually rising to the rank of associate professor of biology.
Stere has earned numerous awards, including the Women in Leadership Award, sponsored by Penn State's Commission for Women; the Faculty Member of the Year Award, presented by Penn State Altoona's Student Government Association; and the YWCA Tribute to Women Award. In 1980, she won the esteemed Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching (now the Milton S. Eisenhower Award for Distinguished Teaching). Stere's contributions to the College are honored annually with the Athleen J. Stere Teaching Award. In 2009, she earned the Loyalty and Longevity Award for combined years of service and age.
Visit www.altoona.psu.edu/now/news.asp?value=2086 to see more photos from the retirement party.