MCKEESPORT, Pa. — On June 29, Penn State Greater Allegheny welcomed 21 students from the class of 2024 to the University’s Pathways to Success: Summer Start (PaSSS) Program. The program offers credit-bearing courses, guest speakers, other supplemental programming, and the opportunity to be employed on campus during the fall semester. In its third year at the McKeesport-based campus, the program has helped over 50 students become familiar with the college environment before the start of the fall semester.
This year PaSSS students will take CAS 100 Effective Speech and GAME 160N Video Game Culture, taught by faculty members Rosemary Martinelli and Jennifer Breese. Outside of the classroom, the students will participate in virtual group sessions with Penn State President Eric Barron, Penn State Head Football Coach James Franklin, and others.
“Students will be in class each week, but will also be attending group speaker sessions, and meetings with mentors and academic advisers to create an academic action plan for year one of their Penn State experience,” said Erica Tachoir, division of undergraduate studies coordinator, and manager of academic advising and career services. “We are also running three sessions on financial literacy and offering opportunities to grow skills in our Math and English academics, run by various staff members on our campus and throughout the commonwealth.”
In addition to the endless opportunities PaSSS provides, the program also offers students a new "Connect to Tech" course being delivered through Penn State’s robust online learning system.
“Connect to Tech is a program designed to teach students how to navigate various software that they will use during their time as a student,” said Melan Hasquet, director of Admissions and Student Aid.
PaSSS will run until Aug. 13, with final exams scheduled for Aug. 14. To learn more about the PaSSS program, visit: greaterallegheny.psu.edu/passs.