New Name Approved For Penn State Erie’s Academic Center

July 12, 2002

Carlisle, Pa. – The Board of Trustees approved today (July 12) the naming of the academic center at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. Now known as “The Irvin Kochel Center,” the academic center honors Irvin H. Kochel, director of Behrend College from 1954 to 1980 and assistant vice president emeritus for administration from 1980 to 1985.

Kochel’s 27 years of leadership brought Penn State Erie from a two-year “center” to a four-year, degree-granting college. During his tenure he developed a talented, high-quality faculty and expanded the initial program offerings to create baccalaureate and graduate degrees. He also raised funds for much-needed residence halls, the Otto Behrend Science Building, and the Reed Union Building.

The Irvin Kochel Center is home to the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, where offices and classrooms line two levels of spacious corridors. The center provides space where students learn valuable communication and critical thinking skills, master foreign languages, explore cultural heritage, and critically examine themselves, their society and world.

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Contact: Allison Kessler, Department of Public Information, (814) 865-7517 or akessler@psu.edu.