PASSHE universities spent the summer advancing student research, launching high-impact
internships, and transforming campus spaces. Explore how these institutions are elevating
scholarship, building career pathways, and earning top academic honors.
SUCCESS HIGHLIGHTS
The Cheyney University Honors Academy continues to earn recognition for the achievements of its scholars, faculty, and programs. From student research and academic leadership to community impact and institutional growth, these stories demonstrate how the Honors Academy advances excellence and prepares the next generation of scholars, professionals, and changemakers.
From the first spark of curiosity to the final presentation board, several Commonwealth University students spent the summer transforming ideas into scholarship through the Undergraduate Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activities Program.
The undergraduate elementary teacher preparation program at East Stroudsburg University has earned an A+ from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) for how well it prepares future teachers to teach reading to elementary students.
Fifty-two IUP students participated in the 2026 Undergraduate Summer Opportunities for Applying Research (U-SOAR) and presented their research projects at the U-SOAR Research Symposium. This 10-week summer program enables students to conduct original research with faculty mentors and provides professional development workshops and enrichment programs focused on research and career success.
Kutztown University completed its renovation and celebrated the ribbon-cutting and grand opening of Johnson Hall, one of its residence halls. First built in 1966, Johnson Hall features 68,613 square feet of renovated and new space, housing 298 students. Students will enter through new vestibule-style main entrances that open into the new exterior Golden Bear courtyard.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony honoring donors Dr. Samuel and Dena Lombardo marked the grand opening of Millersville University’s Samuel N. and Dena M. Lombardo Hall. The longtime supporters of the University made a historic $5 million gift to transform Brooks Hall, the campus’s former athletic venue, into a new home for the Lombardo College of Business.
When Nate Kurtz arrived at PennWest California, he knew he wanted to work in sports. Three years later, the junior sport management major turned that passion into professional experience through a photography internship with the Reading Fightin Phils, the Philadelphia Phillies' Double-A affiliate.
Mya Lee spent her summer at Stormy Oaks Nature Conservancy – Wildbird Recovery, Inc., helping rehabilitate injured songbirds, swallows, and birds of prey. An honors student majoring in environmental science at PennWest Clarion, she gained hands-on experience caring for birds while exploring a career in wildlife conservation. She is also a member of the Golden Eagles swimming and diving team and was a standout diver at Mars High School, placing sixth in the state.
For Alison Jones, a summer internship with VisitErie was more than professional experience; it was a chance to promote her home region. Jones, a senior at PennWest Edinboro majoring in interdisciplinary studies and minoring in marketing and event planning, interned with VisitErie.
By participating in specialized study abroad programs, education majors at Slippery Rock University are doing far more than touring; they are discovering firsthand what it means to be an educator before they graduate. Olivia Platt, a senior mid-level mathematics education major from Coraopolis (Moon HS), studied abroad in Scotland as part of a faculty-led program that gave her a new outlook on teaching.
Shippensburg University’s Teacher Education Department has earned an A+ rating for reading instruction from the National Council on Teacher Quality, exemplifying the program’s commitment to preparing future educators with evidence-based skills rooted in the “science of reading.”
West Chester University’s Physician Assistant Program celebrated a major milestone during its annual White Coat Ceremony, recognizing the program’s recent achievement of Accreditation-Continued from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), the highest accreditation status awarded to established physician assistant programs. The ceremony also celebrated students at every stage of the physician assistant journey, welcoming the Class of 2028, recognizing the Class of 2027 as they begin clinical education, and graduating the Class of 2026 as they prepare to enter one of the nation's fastest-growing healthcare professions.