Penn State Intercom......January 16, 2003

Leadership Centre County counts many
from University among its graduates

By Julie A. Brink
Public Information

Sharon Fross, director of Continuing Education at University Park, may have thought she was along for the ride when she hopped into the station wagon with Meals on Wheels driver Joe Smith.

But, he handed her a bag and off she went to the door where she rapped and called out, "Meals on Wheels!" A woman in a house coat opened the door and accepted the bag. Fross hopped back into the car and sped off to the next delivery.

That ride through State College's Highlands neighborhood was just part of the day's activities for the Leadership Centre County (LCC) Class of 2003. The class of 39 was participating in the organization's Health and Human Services Day where they toured 17 of Centre County's 88 agencies.

Health and Human Services Day is an important learning opportunity for the class. Half of Centre County's budget is devoted to human services, county commissioner Keith Bierly told them. That amounts to about $44.5 million, most of it from federal and state funding.

Penn State has been a substantial part of the Leadership Centre County equation since its inception in 1991. Some 100 of the program's 367 graduates, or about 27 percent, have been University employees. Sixteen in the current class have some sort of University affiliation ranging from management to staff assistants.

"This is not an executive training program," said Connie Shroeder, director of the Centre County United Way, and a member of the class of 2003.

Instead, Leadership Centre County aims to develop community leadership potential throughout the county. Through nine program days during the yearlong program, class participants are exposed to various aspects of the community -- history, health and human services, government, economy, environment, education and arts.

For the folks at the University, some newcomers, some old hands, Leadership Centre County is a platform for community involvement. Besides enhancing leadership skills and forging critical relationships, University employees have an opportunity to work toward better town/gown relationships.

"It's an excellent forum for me to become familiar with the community, to become connected and to learn what the community educational needs are so that Continuing Education can respond to these needs," said Fross, who joined the University last January. "I'm very grateful for this opportunity.

"I think what a lot of people in class are doing is looking where they personally would like to be involved," she continued. "A lot of Penn State people get involved. When you look at what Penn State can do for the community, it's a wonderful forum to do something individually -- to help in a professional capacity and to see where the needs are where individual contributions can be made as well."

Talat Azhar, senior marketing research associate, visited an assisted living facility operated by the Centre For Aging.

"Generally, I think this whole thing is a big eye-opener," she said. "You take so much for granted. You don't realize that people (behind the scenes) are making it all happen."

"I found it to be beneficial to learn how many lesser-known agencies exist in our county," said Kristen McKee, executive assistant and facilities coordinator in the Pennsylvania Rural Leadership Program. "I was amazed at the outreach outside of the State College area. Sometimes it appears we get so focused on the University, we forget about the rest of the county."

Philip Burlingame, assistant vice president of student affairs, is part of the Leadership Centre County Class of 2001.

As a result of his intensive year of programs, Burlingame has a deeper understanding of Centre County's needs and problems.

"Most people know about the threat that rapid growth, development and highway construction are bringing to bear on our quality of life," he said. "I suspect fewer people realize the deep-seated social problems that plague so many families in this county. Our juvenile justice system is being overwhelmed and many children in our community are daily placed in harm's way by abuse, poverty and hunger. I am afraid the social service needs in Centre County are minimized by the public because they are overshadowed by the 'happy valley' notion of ubiquitous affluence. It is too easy to ignore the needs of impoverished families in outlying small villages in Penns Valley and in northern Centre County -- or even more so in State College borough."

After completing the program, he's extended his interest in working with youth. Burlingame volunteers as a member of the Boy Scout Troop 20 committee in Centre Hall and is a member of the Juniata Council board of directors. On campus, Burlingame advises Alpha Phi Omega, a national co-ed service fraternity.

Burlingame also serves as Leadership Centre County's Class of 2001 alumni endowment fund chair, which is trying to create an endowment fund to help defray future tuition costs for program participants.

"Various LCC alumni employed at Penn State serve as volunteers on one of our many committees, for example Steve Koths (director of financial offices) is our treasurer, Lydia Abdullah (senior external reporting specialist) is our immediate past president," according to Georgia Abbey, who ticked off a list of LCC board members that included eight directors with past and present University affiliations. "You can see that Penn Staters remain involved in LCC -- not to mention the work that they and others do throughout the community."

That participation is a example of the synergy between the community and the University.

It's evident at the Meals on Wheels program, where four of the board's directors are leadership graduates and 50 percent of the board has a Penn State affiliation. Among the volunteers, the percentage is higher: About 80 percent have some sort of University background, according to Anna Carol Buffington, executive director.

The University works in a charitable capacity with Meals on Wheels, donating foodstuffs to the group from food vendor shows, leftover foodstuffs from when the residence halls close and snacks from Thon.

"At the end of the dance marathon, there's 10 to 12 vans of food left" that is donated to food kitchen, according to Buffington.

Another example is Housing Transitions, where Penn State students volunteer there, graduate and become members of the staff. "We're always glad to have them here," said Ron Quinn, executive director.

This year's Leadership Centre County class will graduate in June. Applications are due for the next class on March 29. For information, check the Web at http://leadershipcentrecounty.org or call (814) 238-5559.

Julie A. Brink can be reached at jab81@psu.edu

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