Academics

From the president: A time for celebration in the Penn State family

A Time for Celebration in the Penn State Family!As we approach the holiday traditionally shared with family and friends, I'd like to take time to recognize some members of the Penn State family, who have each earned extraordinary recognition over the past week.First, Schreyer scholar and Eberly College of Science student Neha Gupta was honored with the 2014 International Children's Peace Prize for her work to help underprivileged children around the world. Neha founded the organization Empower Orphans when she was just nine years old. Since then, Neha has raised over $1 million and has helped more than 25,000 children. She is the first American to win this prestigious international award. (Read More)Next, Laurie Grobman, professor of English and women's studies at Penn State Berks, was named Outstanding Baccalaureate College Professor of the Year for her efforts to inspire, encourage and challenge her students to achieve excellence. She also has been a leader in multicultural education, service learning and community-based research. The U.S. Professors of the Year Awards Program was created in 1981, and is sponsored by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. (Read more)Ryan Henrici, Schreyer scholar and senior majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology, has received a 2015 Marshall Scholarship, a highly competitive program that finances American college students to study for any degree in the United Kingdom. This has been a big month for Ryan, since he also was the second author on a publication in Nature. (Read more)Finally, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has awarded the distinction of Fellow to eight Penn State professors for their efforts toward advancing science applications that are deemed scientifically or socially distinguished. The Fellows from Penn State include: Craig Eugene Cameron; Douglas R. Cavener; Joanna Floros; Michael T. Green, Teh-hui Kao, Christine Dolan Keating, Andrea M. Mastro, and B. Franklin Pugh. (Read more)Penn State is very fortunate to have so many inspirational individuals working toward the betterment of our world. I hope you'll join me in congratulating them for their success and contributions to our institution and their professions.I also hope everyone enjoys a relaxing holiday surrounded by family and friends, and that you return to Penn State refreshed and ready to tackle the last few weeks of the semester. Safe travels!Eric BarronPresident

Last Updated December 4, 2014