Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford has named 280 students to its spring Dean’s list. Dean’s list status is awarded to full-time students who have earned a grade point average of 3.5 or higher. Full-time students earning a grade point average of 4.0 from Bradford were Richard W. Persing, a junior accounting major; Barbara A. Allen and Kira Lee Lipps, both junior early childhood education (PreK-4) majors; Jeffrey M. Warner, a freshman engineering major; Maxwell L. Cercone, a junior history-political science major; Kaitlin Marie Zapel, a senior human relations major; Jodi L. Irons, a freshman nursing major; and Amanda J. Kleps, a junior public relations major. Other full-time students from McKean County earning a 4.0 were Vincent D. Berrettini, a senior mathematics education 7-12 major from Eldred; Nicole D. Corliss, a junior accounting major, Bethany L. Mealy, a junior early childhood education (preK-4) major and Kyle J. Meserole, an undeclared f...

By Kimberly Marcott Weinberg Assistant Director of Communications and Marketing University of Pittsburgh at Bradford John Schlimm sure knows how to make a crowd feel special. Speaking before more than 200 University of Pittsburgh graduates and their guests Sunday, the award-winning writer said that the address would be one of the highlights of his life. "When I was told that you, the seniors, specifically chose me to be your speaker, I was so humbled and honored, and I knew that this would be a moment that I would never forget as long as I live,” he said when taking the podium. Dr. Livingston Alexander, president, addressed the choice of Schlimm by students in his introduction. “Some of you may be wondering how a vegan cookbook writer ended up as our commencement speaker,” Alexander said, then explained that a group of students had had the chance to hear Schlimm speak at a career-preparedness event held at the beginning of ...

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford will graduate its largest class – 342 students – during commencement exercises Sunday, April 29. John Schlimm, internationally award-winning author of 12 books on cooking/entertaining, history, how-to and fiction, will speak to the graduating class. The commencement will also be broadcast live at www.upb.pitt.edu/commencement.aspx . Those graduates from Bradford expected to receive an Associate of Science degree are Andrew M. Flynn, Samantha McGriff, Nathan M. O’Lay and Nathan Alan Rees, all nursing majors, and Beth Christman and Burton Markert, both petroleum technology majors. Other students from McKean County expected to receive associate degrees are Richard Edward Castina, a liberal studies major, and Stephanie Denise Hungiville, a nursing major, both of Mount Jewett; Marklyn Dawn Simms, a liberal studies major from Smethport; Steven Paul Kriner and Hazen E. Robson, both nursing majors from Eldred; Sara Hyde and Kelly Elizabeth McKinney,...

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford has released its dean’s list for the Fall 2011 semester. Dean’s list status is awarded to full-time students who have earned a grade point average of 3.5 or higher. Those earning a grade point average of 4.0 from Bradford were Richard W. Persing, a sophomore accounting major; Bryan Thomas Deloe, a senior applied mathematics major; Tiara O. Brown, a junior business management and sport and recreation management major; Jennifer Suzanne Grave, a senior business management and sports medicine major; Rachel L. Britton, a sophomore early childhood education major; Richille Vela Denora, a senior elementary education major; Jeffrey M. Warner, a freshman engineering major; Benjamin J. Walter, a junior history-political science major; Maxwell L. Cercone, a sophomore history-political science major; Kaitlin Marie Zapel, a senior human relations major; Jodi L. Irons, a freshman nursing major; Katelyn A. Morris, a junior public relations major. Other studen...

By Kimberly Marcott Weinberg Assistant Director of Communications and Marketing A new program at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford is helping international students adjust to college life in the United States. Pitt-Bradford has more international students than ever – a record 23 this year. Dr. Ron Binder, associate dean of student affairs, developed the new VISA Mentor Program so that a fellow student could help them adjust to life on campus. Each international student is paired with a mentor for the course of the school year. After arriving a few days early for the start of the school year, mentors gave the new students tours of campus and its buildings and services and the city of Bradford. Students used the Area Transportation Authority to give the tours so that the international students would know how to use the available public transportation system. As part of the program, mentors also touch base with their students on a weekly basis, to check on their status throughout t...

By Kimberly Marcott Weinberg Assistant Director of Communications and Marketing When University of Pittsburgh at Bradford students Phylicia Patterson and Kaitlin Zapel went to Costa Rica last summer as Vira Heinz scholars, they gained a new appreciation for trees in the earth’s ecosystem. Now they’re working with educators at School Street Elementary School to help fourth- and fifth-graders there understand the importance of trees. After visiting Melissa Cornelius’s green and technology enrichment group last week to talk about the value of trees in the environment, the Pitt-Bradford students took the younger students to plant trees at the trailhead for the Tuna Valley Trail Association’s newest trail, the Blaisdell-Emery trail. The School Street students seemed to have learned their lessons well and could list quite a few reasons why trees are important to the environment as they planted Tuesday morning. “It takes in carbon dioxide and gives off oxy...

More than 40 students at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford were recognized for their academic achievements and contributions to campus life at the university’s annual Honors Convocation held today. Before the awards were given, Rick Nelson, associate professor of business management, gave the keynote address. Fifteen students were named University Scholars, an honor given to juniors, seniors and students from the previous year’s graduating class who are or were in the top 2 percent of their class. Those named University Scholars who were 2010 graduates were Jenelle M. Elmquist, a social studies 7-12 major from Sheffield; Kathy M. Long, an elementary education major from Kane; Ashley R. Neal, a sports medicine major from St. Marys; and Nicole J. Walter, an elementary education major from Gifford. Those seniors named University Scholars were Joshua W. Flowers, a chemistry and chemistry education 7-12 major from New Columbia; Prashant...

Students from a Warren County Spanish Immersion Camp spent Thursday learning about Latin American vocabulary and cuisine at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. The camp is run by the Warren Forest Higher Education Council and included various activities to immerse students in Latin American culture by exploring various Spanish-speaking nations through music, dance, art and foods, including a visit with a chef from Wegmans grocery store in Jamestown, N.Y., who prepared Latin American cuisine for the students and showed them how to make it, as well. At Pitt-Bradford, Dr. Carys Evans-Corrales, professor of Spanish, designed a workshop based on her college course in food vocabulary. The sixth- and seventh-grade students took a trip to an imaginary restaurant, where three Pitt-Bradford Spanish students waited on them. Students ordered in Spanish from the menu, interacted with their Spanish-speaking wait staff and learned a bit about each...

There are still spots available for Locks of Love on Monday at Bradford Area High School. They have several open slots between 2 and 4 p.m. It isn't too late to sign up, and walk-ins will be accommodated as time permits. To make an appointment, call Katie at 558-8758.

The YWCA of Bradford held its 13th Annual Leader Luncheon Wednesday afternoon at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. Pictured are Outstanding Leaders Kristen Tate Luther and her daughter Lauren; Mariann Kahle and her daughter Lauryn; and Cathy Zapel with her daughter, Youong Leader Katie Zapel. ( I tried to get Donna Tate and Emma Sherwin in the picture, too, but I kept losing them. ) To listen to the introductions and the speeches, click on each woman's name: Mariann Kahle Kristen Tate Luther Katie Zapel Kris, Katie and Marianne with YWCA Executive Director Amy Pierce.