From an aquatic robot that will remove pollution from the ocean to apps that help students connect and learn, winners of the Penn State Berks Flemming CEED Center Innovation and Business Idea Challenge developed creative and impactful solutions to address significant local and global challenges. The three winning teams were each awarded a $1,000 "IMAGINE Your Business" grant, funded by the County of Berks "Imagine Berks" Fund.
Travis Mauger knew from an early age that he wanted to help others. After high school, he joined the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and later became a cadet in the local Reserve Officer Training Corps. His time in the military solidified his goal of serving others, particularly service members. He earned the bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in history from Penn State Berks in December 2024, and his story is part of the Senior Spotlight series celebrating Berks graduates.
Sydney Bankert’s journey to graduation had some twists and turns. She earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Penn State Berks on Saturday, Dec. 21, during the college’s commencement ceremony at the Santander Arena in Reading. This spotlight is part of the "Senior Spotlight" series, celebrating Penn State Berks graduates each semester.
Fifteen student teams using artificial intelligence (AI) to make the world a better place have been awarded a total of $4,500 in the prototype phase of the Nittany AI Challenge. This year’s Nittany AI Challenge includes new partners and resources providing even more opportunities for student success.
Diana Stoltzfus has certainly made the most of her college experience at Penn State Berks, from conducting research on the effects of virtual reality on exercise, to earning a 4.0 GPA, to being a star player on the women’s volleyball team. She will graduate as student marshal during Berks' fall 2024 commencement ceremony, set for 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, at the Santander Arena in Reading. The title of her commencement speech is "The Power of Perseverance."
Penn State Berks hosted its sixth annual fine-dining pop-up restaurant “Mangiamo,” a senior capstone project organized by students in the college’s Hospitality Management program. It was held Nov. 8 in the Perkins Student Center.
Current charging stations for electric vehicles, or EVs, can be expensive to install, and limited in the number of parking spaces they reach. Penn State engineering student Jonathan Smith and his team have spent the last three years creating a possible solution: smaller, mounted charging stations, which can move to cover as many as five parking spaces. As CEO of Streamline Charging, he’s used his Penn State education and customized coursework to get the team’s ideas to market.
Penn State Berks is helping a future generation of engineering students to succeed through the college’s Engineering Ahead Program, which is now in its ninth year. The goal of the four-week summer ‘bridge’ program, which ran from June 30 to July 19, is to increase retention rates among a diverse group of engineering students by enhancing academic preparedness and providing support.
According to the 2020 census, the Hispanic and Latino population of the City of Reading is nearly 69%, up from 58% in 2010. To meet the needs of this growing population, Penn State Berks is expanding its efforts to engage with and support the local Hispanic and Latino communities with several new initiatives.
Penn State Berks has named 105 students to the summer 2024 dean’s list. To earn a dean’s list designation, students must end the semester with a 3.5 grade-point average or higher.
