UPPER BURRELL, Pa. – In basketball, reaching double figures is a sign of scoring prowess. At Penn State New Kensington, reaching double figures is a sign of working prowess. With the Dec. 8 announcement that Diana Hill, administrative support assistant, is a “We Are!” recipient, the campus now claims 10 We Are! accolades.
“We Are!,” a weekly feature of the daily email publication Penn State Today, is a University-wide initiative that was launched in February to provide students, faculty and staff with a platform to give kudos to fellow Penn Staters for work that goes above and beyond their job duties or responsibilities.
Hill is the 10th staff member from the New Kensington campus to receive the honor in the past nine months. Previously, Nancy Miller, co-director of continuing education, Corinne Coulson, enrollment specialist, Kevin Churik, information technology generalist, Jennifer Marino, assistant director for financial aid, Danielle DeStefano, assistant director of enrollment management, Susan Dale, administrative support assistant in the Office of Academic Affairs, Nancy Burns, staff assistant VI for the Office of Enrollment Management, Karen Harlan, multimedia specialist, and Lauren Blum, assistant to the director of student affairs, were accorded the prestigious honor. All were nominated by campus colleagues or students for personifying Penn State’s commitment of service to the community. New Kensington is home to more We Are! recipients than any other Penn State campus.
Kevin Snider, chancellor of the New Kensington campus, praised the recipients for shining the Penn State spotlight on New Kensington. He encouraged the campus community to recommend other colleagues for the honor.
“The word is getting out about what a great campus and community we are,” Snider said. “It's a great way to continue to get our fantastic community recognized outside the campus.”
A “We Are” candidate could be a staff member taking extra steps to make sure a project is completed, a student organizing a charitable event, an administrator doing something special for employees, or a faculty member taking additional time to advise students.
To nominate a “We Are” candidate from the campus community, visit http://news.psu.edu/WeAre
To view “We Are” stories, visit http://news.psu.edu/story/359184/2015/06/01/we-are-thankful-these-penn-staters
Hill and campus veteransHill’s nominator wrote: "Being a military veteran student at Penn State New Kensington, having someone such as Diana to depend on to accomplish everything between the University and the Veterans Administration made my life much easier, to say the least."
A graduate of Duff's Business Institute, Hill joined the campus community in 1999. In her position, she provides support for the Enrollment Management and Financial Aid staff and oversees the Federal Work Study program. For 17 years, she has headed the Veterans Services office, which provides additional support to suit the needs of veterans. The campus was recently designated a Military Friendly School,
"Diana does a wonderful job with the veterans' benefits program. She will tell you that it is just a part of her job, but our veterans on campus consistently praise Diana for her attention to detail, her efficiency, and her efforts to get the veterans their benefits in a timely manner. This doesn't happen everywhere," stated Patty Brady, director of enrollment management. "Diana helps us attract more veterans to our campus."
The New Kensington resident works closely with veterans as certifying official for veterans educational benefits. Hill assists veterans with the requirements of programs, such as the Post-9/11 GI-Bill that provides financial support for education and housing. Under the bill's Yellow Ribbon program, veterans who served on active duty since Sept. 11, 2001, have their tuition costs covered through shared responsibility between Penn State and the Veterans Administration.
“Diana Hill is very knowledgeable about vet programs and assistance,” said Matt Knapp, a veteran and alumnus who graduated from the campus in 2012.
Knapp, a four-year member of the Dean’s List with a 3.94 GPA, earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration. During his 12-year Army career as a military policeman, his duties ran the gamut from guarding nuclear weapons to ensuring the safety of presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush and vice presidents Dan Quale and Dick Chaney. He left the service after suffering lower back and ankle injuries.
“Disabilities inhibited my future in law enforcement and security,” said Knapp, who was a staff sergeant. “I wanted to get into human resource management, and the business program at Penn State New Kensington was a great way to get started in that field.”
Mustafa Arslan, a sophomore information sciences and technology major, is president of the Veterans Club, a student organization that reaches out to veterans on campus to make them aware of the resources available to them.
“Diana Hill does her work diligently to make sure that veteran students have all of our certifications in on time, and that we are ready to continue pursuing our education without any hiccups,” said Mustafa Arslan, who spent 12 years in the Marine Corps working as a English/Turkish linguist. “This plays a vital role in our scheduling and billing. I am thankful for her dedicated work ethics.”
Veterans and adult learners comprise approximately 28 percent of the student population at the campus. New Kensington strives to support military veterans in reaching their academic goals while maintaining a healthy life balance.
“I often say that ‘it takes a village,’ and Penn State New Kensington staff work toward helping our veteran students have a good outcome,” Hill said.
For more on Veterans Services, contact Hill at 724-334-6047or duh3@psu.edu.
Admissions and veteransThe number of veterans deciding to start or return to college continues to rise as more military personnel fulfill their service obligations and return to civilian status. The ranks of adult learners, those classified as at least 24 years old, also are expanding as more displaced workers look for a career change or seek additional education.
To help nontraditional students navigate the many challenges associated with the higher education decision, the Admissions staff encourages veterans to make appointments for personal meetings to discuss the educational benefits available. There are numerous academic options for veterans and adults, including: selecting from more than 200 noncredit, certificate and degree programs; choosing full- or part-time status; and scheduling day or evening classes. Appointments are recommended but not necessary. Walk-ins are welcome.
To make an appointment, call the Admissions Office at 724-334-LION or 888-968-PAWS.
For more on the campus’ educational benefits for veterans, visit http://www.nk.psu.edu/Admissions/FinancialAid/vetsfa.htm
Military Friendly SchoolsThe Military Friendly Schools designation is conferred upon the higher-education institutions exhibiting leading practices in recruiting and supporting post-military students. Selected colleges are able to incorporate the most current, unique data about their school that is not captured elsewhere, giving service members and their families a well-rounded look at their education programs. More than 1,600 schools earned the 2015 Military Friendly Schools designation.
Up to 400,000 service members leave military service each year, and more than a third attend college after separation. The Guide to Military Friendly Schools is available at all military transition classes, as well as throughout U.S. military bases and communities across the globe, reaching hundreds of thousands of transitioning service members, veterans, military spouses, and military transition program managers each month -- individuals who know and trust the tested Military Friendly name.
The criteria for consideration can be found at: www.militaryfriendly.com