Agricultural Sciences

Berkey Creamery flavor marks College of Earth and Mineral Sciences milestone

The Penn State Berkey Creamery and the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences have partnered to commemorate the college’s 125th anniversary by renaming the popular flavor, “Bittersweet Mint,” as “Earth and MINTeral Sciences Bittersweet Mint.” Credit: Michael HoutzAll Rights Reserved.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — There is nothing better than celebrating a milestone with ice cream. And who better to champion the celebration than the Penn State Berkey Creamery?

Penn State’s College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and the Creamery have partnered to commemorate the college’s 125th anniversary by sponsoring the popular flavor, “Bittersweet Mint,” as “Earth and MINTeral Sciences Bittersweet Mint” from August to October.

The partnership is part of the Creamery’s flavor sponsorship program, which can support the temporary renaming of a flavor, according to Jim Brown, assistant manager of Creamery operations. The program officially started in 2022 as another way to support the Penn State community and local organizations.

“The flavor sponsorship program offers organizations greater event exposure by extending media reach opportunities,” said Brown, who also serves as sales and marketing manager. “In exchange, the Creamery receives the privilege of working much closer with these organizations, building long-term partnerships and promoting teamwork.”

Previously, the Creamery collaborated with the Penn State Alumni Association, the Bryce Jordan Center, PA Pink Zone, the Smeal College of Business and THON to sponsor flavors for their respective events. Most recently, it honored the return of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts with its limited-edition flavor, “Festival Fudge.”

Brown added that a goal of the Creamery is to help support all Penn State organizations in their endeavors to build awareness. “We want to continue to strengthen these partnerships by promoting Penn State solidarity,” he said.

The College of Earth and Mineral Sciences celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2021. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the college postponed its in-person celebrations until this October.

Dagmar Caramello, assistant director of stewardship for the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, came up with the idea to commemorate the milestone anniversary with an ice cream flavor. She and her coworker Emily Morrison batted flavor names around for weeks before Chris Brida, director of development for the college, encouraged them to contact the Creamery.

“We chose the mint flavor — “Earth and ‘MINTeral Sciences” — because we are the college where new ideas and discoveries in energy, environment and materials are ‘minted’ into just, equitable and sustainable solutions for society,” said Lee Kump, John Leone Dean in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.

Caramello, her colleagues and the Creamery staff have been working together since last November to iron out all the details, from choosing the temporary name and flavor to planning how to promote it.

The College of Earth and Mineral Sciences decided to get creative by making a special video of Kump ordering a cone and announcing the sponsored flavor. According to Caramello, it was a fun way to bring attention to the college.

“We kind of exist between the College of Engineering and the Eberly College of Science, so it is great to get the college’s name in front of people in unexpected ways,” she said. “There’s so much going on in this college, including impressive research.”

In addition to being available at the Creamery’s retail store, the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences will serve the flavor at college-sponsored events, including at TEEMS (Total Engagement with Earth and Mineral Sciences) and Parents and Families Weekend.

“As with all our flavor sponsorship programs, the Creamery hopes to build awareness that the Creamery is much more than ice cream,” Brown said. “We are what Penn State is all about: community, tradition and pride.”

For more information about Penn State Berkey Creamery, visit https://creamery.psu.edu.

 

Last Updated August 12, 2022

Contact