Intercom Online......February 3, 2000
Resort now a virtual classroom
Penn State and The Breakers Palm Beach resort have joined together to transform the deluxe oceanfront resort and club -- a workplace for hundreds and the third largest employer in Palm Beach County -- into a virtual center for learning.
In an unprecedented alliance, the hospitality industry for the first time has partnered with an educational entity to offer an Advanced Leadership Certificate Program for those in the restaurant/resort business. Penn State's School of Hotel, Restaurant and Recreation Management and The Breakers are offering employees an opportunity to learn while on the job through this World Campus program.
Through the program, student employees at various management levels at The Breakers must participate in five different seminars that cover issues from work climate to financial management. Penn State faculty serve as instructors for this educational series. A group of the resort's executive staff partners with faculty as co-facilitators to have students tackle real-life scenarios that occur in the resort's day-to-day operations. One substantial benefit of the program is that careers and educational paths are united. No longer do employees have to choose between career and education or put one on hold to pursue the other. The program also offers the needed academic foundation for employees to grow professionally. It is hoped the program will lower turnover; reduce expenses in hiring and training and improve service levels.
For more information on the World Campus, visit the Web at http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/pub/home/welcome.shtml.
Erie gains grant
to study Long-Distance Dads
The Center for Organizational Research and Evaluation (CORE) at Penn State Erie has received a $145,200 grant to conduct an 18-month evaluation of the Long-Distance Dads program at the State Correctional Institute at Albion. Funding for the evaluation comes from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) in Harrisburg.
Long-Distance Dads is a 12-week educational program designed to help men in prison develop skills to become better fathers. The program's concept was developed by Randall Turner, who heads the Father's Workshop of the Erie school district.
"Long-Distance Dads is currently in use by seven other prisons in Pennsylvania," said Kimberly Skarupski, associate director of CORE, assistant professor of psychology at Penn State Erie, and lead investigator in the evaluation project, "and is being considered for use across the country. The results of CORE's evaluation will be important as other areas consider adopting the program."
Participants in Long-Distance Dads meet weekly in small groups that are facilitated by peer leaders -- other prisoners who have been trained to facilitate discussions. Worksheets are used in each group session to encourage fathers to consider questions of moral character and to develop skills that help them become more involved and supportive fathers. After 12 weeks, participants graduate and receive a certificate of attendance.
The evaluation will have four phases: interviews with prison staff, interviews with program participants, observation of the small groups, and a review of written records to make sure the program and its participants are meeting expectations.
Cello literature finds home
The Penn State Cello Studio at University Park recently received a collection of cello literature from the estate of the late Eugene Bondi, a concert cellist from New York City. More than 200 pieces of music, including cello solos, chamber music and scores are in the collection, which is valued at $2,000. Bondi's widow, Rebecca Osborn, decided to donate his collection to the Penn State Cello Studio after meeting Kim Cook, associate professor of music and a cello player. Graduate students Brian and Christine Towndrow sorted and cataloged the music, which is now a part of the cello studio's permanent library.
Boost environmental knowledge
An in-depth teacher training program through the College of Agricultural Sciences and 4-H is providing teachers with information and educational tools needed to teach a balanced curriculum in environment and ecology to students in grades three to 12.
Known as the Penn State Forest Institute for Teachers, the program is part of a statewide effort to increase the public's environmental knowledge. Despite widespread environmental awareness and support, two-thirds of Americans fail a simple 12-item test of environmental knowledge, according to the National Report Card on Environmental Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors. The program's long-term goal is to improve student skills and knowledge in recognizing, analyzing and making decisions related to Pennsylvania's forest and wildlife resources.
The pilot offering of this four-day institute was held in June in Dauphin County. The School of Forest Resources and Penn State Cooperative Extension and Continuing Education are already planning to offer at least two additional institutes this summer in State College and Warren, Pa.
For more information, visit the Web at http://www.outreach.psu.edu/News/Headlines.html.