System Success

Cheyney University’s Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management (HRTM) Program welcomed Chancellor Dr. Christopher Fiorentino and Deputy Secretary for Postsecondary and Higher Education Lynette Kuhn for a special student visit. HRTM majors showcased how classroom learning applies to real-world experiences like event planning, culinary medicine, and hospitality management, emphasizing the program’s focus on experiential learning and professional partnerships.

Commonwealth University - Bloomsburg celebrated the dedication of the newly reimagined McCormick Center on Monday, Sept. 8. Students, faculty, alumni, donors, and community members gathered to highlight the building’s transformation into a dynamic space that enhances learning and professional preparation.

For Natasha Merchant, a rising senior at East Stroudsburg University, psychology is more than just her major – it’s a source of comfort and healing that she has seen the positive effects of firsthand. Merchant, a member of ESU’s University Honors Program from Bushkill, Pa., is so drawn to the subject that she has immersed herself in a trio of research projects at ESU, including one with a deep personal connection.

Indiana University of Pennsylvania has received $2 million from the National Science Foundation to help academically talented and financially challenged students earn data science degrees. Spanning six years and starting in spring 2026, the project, Experiential Pathways and Networks for Data Science (EXPANDS) Opportunities Scholarship program, will support 36 scholars, with particular focus on transfer students from regional and partner community colleges to transition to IUP to complete bachelor’s and graduate degrees in data sciences.

Kutztown University's Dr. Kunal Das, a professor of physics, earned a historic patent in 2022 for his invention of a new method for precision detection and sensing of rotation and magnetic fields. Now, Das has received a second, continuation patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office to continue his work and progress in applying and implementing his algorithm.

Millersville University’s School of Social Work strengthens its bonds with the community by maintaining nearly 390 affiliation agreements that provide students with active participation-based learning and crucial career preparation. The partnerships span hospitals, government agencies, schools, behavioral health organizations, and private practices in Pennsylvania and beyond. 

Although plastic pollution is often associated with oceans and waterways, PennWest University economics professor Dr. Jingze Jiang is drawing attention to a less visible but equally urgent crisis – microplastic contamination in agricultural soil. Dr. Jiang, alongside co-authors Thomas Marsh and Eric Belasco, recently published “Optimizing Microplastic Pollution in a Terrestrial Environment: A Case for Soil-Biodegradable Mulches” in the Agricultural and Resource Economics Review.

Chandler Garrett, a senior majoring in entrepreneurship at Shippensburg University, spent part of his summer in Porto, Portugal. He gained global business experience while exploring the culture of one of Europe’s oldest cities. This opportunity is made possible through charitable support from the Shippensburg University Foundation for the Charles H. Diller Center for Entrepreneurial and Business Innovation program at Shippensburg University.

A Slippery Rock University professor is at the forefront of research into the cardiovascular effects of electronic cigarette use. Jennifer Piechowski, an SRU assistant professor of biology, first decided to study e-cigarette usage after a conversation with a family member.

Now in its eighth season, West Chester University’s iCamp continues to serve as a powerful launchpad for high school students from Philadelphia, helping them explore digital media, self-expression, and social justice, all while living and learning on a college campus.