Awards
Penn State Intercom......April 4 , 2002

Commission for Women
honors 8 at annual banquet

The Commission for Women named seven Achieving Women Award winners and the recipient of the Rosemary Schraer Award for mentoring at its annual banquet on the University Park campus.

Barbara Bogue, director of the Women in Engineering Program since 1995, was named the recipient of the Rosemary Schraer Award. Bogue was honored for her commitment to the female students in the College of Engineering. According to Rob Pangborn, associate dean for Undergraduate Studies, "Barbara has exhibited a talent for success in mentoring service that far exceeds her employment responsibilities."

Other nominators cited her mentoring activities benefiting undergraduate and graduate women, including the Women in Engineering Program orientation, which is the first mentoring received at Penn State by entering female first-year students in engineering. Through the orientation, Bogue provides them with upperclass role models and contacts for mentoring throughout their undergraduate careers. Nominators, including some of her students, also cited numerous other examples of her mentoring activities and named her as a key role model for women in the college.

The Achieving Woman Award for a woman from a location outside University Park was presented to Joan Begolly, coordinator of the Mechanical Engineering and Technology Program and instructor in engineering at Penn State New Kensington. According to her nominators, her dedication, energy and compassion serve as an example and inspiration for her students and colleagues.

Patricia Book, associate vice president and executive director of Outreach and Cooperative Extension, won the award in the administrative category. Recognized nationally and internationally, Book was selected for her vision and hard work as an administrator, her constructive and inspiring role as a supervisor and her community service.

In the faculty category, the award was presented to Diane Brannon, department head and professor of health policy and administration in the College of Health and Human Development. According to her nominators, Brannon has demonstrated great skill and leadership in balancing frequently competing demands gracefully and with compassion and sensitivity to her department's staff, faculty and students.

In the student category the award was presented to Lanik Lowry, an undergraduate student in labor industrial relations and political science in the College of the Liberal Arts. Lowry's nominators said that as a scholar, a leader, a sorority member, a philanthropist, a community volunteer and an active member of the Army Reserves, she gives new meaning to the term "student."

In the staff non-exempt category, the award was presented to Barbara McDanel, campus nurse and student learning disability coordinator at Penn State Beaver. Her nominators said that McDanel has focused on providing service to students, faculty and staff and on educating the community about important health issues through diversity efforts, contributions to a variety of human causes and in public service.

In the technical services category the Achieving Woman Award was presented to Tammy Showalter, food preparer B in Waring Square Food Court at University Park. Showalter's nominators said she is dedicated to the successful operation of the food court. She provides leadership and support to the staff, and inspires her co-workers by serving in a non-traditional role for women: that of a preventive maintenance worker -- all while completing a 33-hour masonry course offered through the Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology.

In the staff exempt category, the award was presented to Melinda Stearns, director of client development in Outreach and Cooperative Extension. According to her nominators, Stearns acts as a role model for women throughout Outreach and Cooperative Extension, displaying tireless energy, balancing multiple family and personal needs while managing an outstanding sales force and still finding time to serve the University and local community through a wide variety of initiatives and committees.

The Achieving Women Awards recognize women who have achieved and excelled at Penn State and in their communities. Faculty, exempt and nonexempt staff, administrative, technical service, graduate and undergraduate students, and women from locations outside University Park are eligible to receive the award.

The Schraer Award, created in memory of Rosemary Schraer, former associate provost for Penn State, honors a current University employee who has excelled in helping others to recognize and achieve their potential professionally and personally. Schraer, who died in 1992, joined the University in 1959 as a faculty member in the Eberly College of Science and through her 26-year tenure, was noted for her mentoring abilities. The award recognizes individuals who have advised, facilitated, encouraged or paved the way for others. Consideration for the award is given to any University employee who has a record of outstanding mentoring service going beyond the requirements of their employment.

Several outreach programs and
initiatives earn awards from UCEA

Outreach programs and initiatives have been honored with eight University Continuing Education Association (UCEA) awards.

Faculty and staff members contributed to these outreach programs and initiatives honored with UCEA awards:

* The Technology-Enhanced Teaching and Learning Institute for Chilean Educators, developed by the College of Education and CREAD --The Inter-American Distance Education Consortium, won an Exemplary Program Award from the Conferences and Professional Programs Community of Practice of UCEA.

* "Outreach Scholarship 2001: Learning, Discovery and Engagement," developed by Outreach and Cooperative Extension units in collaboration with Ohio State University and the University of Wisconsin-Extension, won an Exemplary Program Award from the Conferences and Professional Programs Community of Practice.

* "Redefining Community: A Smart Growth Approach to Street and Neighborhood Design, Crime Prevention, Public Health and Safety," developed by Continuing Education's Conferences and Institutes and the College of Arts and Architecture, won an Exemplary Program Award from the Conferences and Professional Programs Community of Practice. This program also received a UCEA Region II Exemplary Program Award.

* "ORION: Penn State Wilderness Orientation," developed by Shaver's Creek Environmental Center in partnership with the Outing Club and Continuing Education's Conferences and Institutes, won an Exemplary Program Award from the Conferences and Professional Programs Community of Practice.

* The Adult Educator Virtual Newsletter, developed by Outreach Marketing and the World Campus, won a Gold Award in the Judges' Choice: Recognition for Electronic Communications category.

* Shaver's Creek Environmental Center newsletter, Shavings, developed by Outreach Marketing and Shaver's Creek Environmental Center, won a Gold Award in the newsletter category.

* "Making IT Work," a brochure and poster for information technology (IT) camps offered by Cooperative Extension in Potter and McKean counties, and developed by Outreach Marketing Consulting Services, won a Bronze Award in the campaign publications category.

* Shaver's Creek Environmental Center Web site, developed by Outreach Marketing and Shaver's Creek Environmental Center, won a Silver Award in the most improved category.

* Two other outreach programs were honored with University Continuing Education Association Region II awards: Mosser Village Family Center Youth Enrichment Partnership Program, developed by Penn State Lehigh Valley, won an Award of Excellence for Programs for Special Populations, and "Performative Sites: Intersecting Art, Technology and the Body," developed by Continuing Education's Conferences and Institutes with the College of Arts and Architecture, won an Exemplary Program Award.

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