#HuskyUnleashed

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Welcome to the profession! 120 sophomore nursing students recently participated in a White Coat Ceremony, symbolizing their transition to clinical experiences. 🥼🩺🐾 #HuskyUnleashed #BloomOnward #HuskyPride #nursing #healthcare (at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CjDcr2DrKmn/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Navigating Life - Not According to Plan

Giovanna Andrews planned on being a teacher when she first toured campus, but soon learned that life rarely goes according to plan. Fortunately, through grit, determination, and campus and community support, Andrews has continued her climb as a digital media and web content creator for the Wilmington, DE city council and founder of her own non-profit. She regularly returns to campus, albeit virtually, to help other students navigate their career journey.  

“I knew I wanted to come to Bloom when I visited, and early on, my journey was filled with amazing people who supported me every step of the way”, recalled Andrews. “That sent the tone for my time at BU.”

Andrews nearly didn’t enroll that first fall because of finances, and throughout her time at BU, Andrews changed her plan and her major three times. She finally settled on Communication Studies with a track in Leadership and Public Advocacy in her senior year. While on campus, Andrews served as a Community Assistant and a Husky Ambassador, and was a member of several honor societies and volunteer organizations on and off campus. She credits those extracurricular experiences with opening up opportunities and bringing her out of her shell and noticing areas of need in the community, while her academics taught her how to advocate to fill those needs.

“My education and experience taught me how to recognize flaws in the system, what I needed to do to fix them, and how to push for change. My degree has also helped me become a marketable professional and navigate local government. I owe that to BU.”

Support remained a theme to Andrew’s experience her entire time at BU, especially when plans changed again her senior year with the news that she was expecting a baby. BU faculty, staff and community organizations helped Andrews persevere and graduate on time – two months before her daughter, Isabella Harper was born.

“For many pregnant women, transitioning to motherhood is their sole focus, but I was still a student; I was still giving tours. I knew I couldn’t fail any of my classes; I had to graduate on time.”

Her plans may have changed drastically, but by the time Isabella was born, Andrews had the knowledge and experience to adjust and push her volunteerism to the next level. Inspired by the support she received as a student, Andrews founded Harper’s Heart in 2018; a non-profit organization that helps new and expectant mothers gain the items they need to make a successful transition into motherhood.  And as a first-generation college student, Andrews says that the support and knowledge she received at BU has not only allowed her to be successful, but also inspired her to give back to her pack. She has volunteered as an alumni panelist for BU’s annual Day of Dialogue and Careers in Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities Conference [CASSHCON] and imparted her words of wisdom to new Huskies and their supporters with a video series for first year students.

“Education changed my life and I adored my time at BU.  There were ups and downs but I was definitely molded into the woman I am today and I want to share that with current students.“

Despite the breadth of experience and the wide skillset Andrews now employs to make other people’s lives better, she has not forgotten what it was like to be a student, and the importance of current students seeing themselves represented in the young professionals who return to campus to help.

“Bloom does a great job of bringing alumni back to campus,” recalled Andrews. “As a student, I had the chance to talk to alumni and it was like a mirror: ‘You were a Communications major and you’re doing what?’. I knew I could continue on because I saw where it could lead and it’s our duty as alumni to come back and get other huskies started.”

“I love the opportunity to speak to BU students about having a plan but still being able to go with the flow,” concluded Andrews.  “I went to the same school, lived in the same dorms, took the same classes. I am a living and breathing example of where they can be in life.  It’s been awesome.”  

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In 2011, Shyer Amin won a scholarship from the Department of State to give him the opportunity to live in the United States for a year in high school, this would go on to make the greatest impact on his life than he could’ve ever imagined.

Amin is from the very populated city of Dhaka which is the capital of Bangladesh. Upon receiving the scholarship, he was placed in Hanover, PA to live with a host family as he acted as a youth ambassador. During his time in the U.S., he grew very close to his host family and fell in love with the area and knew he wanted to come back to continue his education.

“I applied to many state schools, but I waited until I got into Bloomsburg University,” says Amin “after researching some more and learning about the school of business here, my decision was easy.”

Once Amin arrived in Bloomsburg, he never imagined how quickly he would feel at home at a place so different from his norm. His host family was just the first group of people in America to create a friendly environment, but Bloomsburg soon did the same for Amin.

“I did not expect to find friends and professors who would become family to me,” says Amin “starting from the shuttle drivers to the janitors, everyone has helped me find my home here at Bloomsburg.”

Involvement has been key to making friendships and finding his way on campus. Amin is president of the Bloomsburg University Model United Nations, head delegate in Model Arab League, president of the International Student Association and a member of Husky Ambassadors. All of these positions are impressive and even more so that Amin is only a Junior.

As for what he loves off campus? Amin is a huge movie fanatic and his favorites include Forrest Gump, The Shawshank Redemption and Interstellar. And like every other loyal Bloomsburg student, Amin loves Tri Pi for their pretzelinis, his favorite being chicken bacon ranch!

If you ever want to get to know Amin more (as everyone should), you can find him in the Andruss Library Starbucks, drinking his pike roast coffee and hanging with friends. Amin also makes a point that it is the people you surround yourself with that makes all the difference.

Amin says, “I do not think it was me that made Bloomsburg my home away from home, it was the people here that made it my home.”

[bloomsburgu]

Upper campus vibes 🎉🏉🏑🥅🏈🐾 #HuskyUnleashed #BloomOnward #HuskySpirit #fall #athletics #rugby #football #FieldHockey #ClubSports #HuskyPride (at Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ci_i2tjMv6X/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[bloomsburgu]

Senior has desire to help those in developing countries

By Eden Berlin, communications assistant

Ashley Moreno is a senior at Bloomsburg University, majoring in nursing, applied and research anthropology. As a triple major, it has been challenging for Moreno to balance her time, however Moreno comes from a family of overachievers.

Moreno always knew she wanted to be a nurse. “In high school, I realized I wanted to go into maternity and infant nursing because I love babies,” said Moreno. She added the applied and research anthropology majors after her freshmen year. “I fell in love with anthropology. I learned how culture is so different around the world."

With a triple major, Moreno has had to carry a full load of classes every semester and on breaks. “I know exactly what I want to do with my life, so I push myself through school knowing that I am getting closer to my dream career one step at a time,” Moreno said.  

“I need to know how they [people in other countries] interact with their environment, with society and with different cultural practices that directly relate to how they experience healthcare,” she says. After Bloomsburg, Moreno will be applying for labor and delivery positions in the U.S. to obtain a years' experience in the nursing field, so that she can work internationally in the future.  

“I want to help lower infant mortality rates in developing countries,” she states. Moreno knew she wanted to travel after visiting Rwanda with a Study Abroad Global Health Program. The group included students from Brigham Young University (BYU) in Utah. Moreno had the chance to really broaden her perspectives on culture because many of these students are Morman. “While I was learning about Rwandan culture, I also learned a lot about Morman religion,” she said.

Moreno is eager to learn as much as she can about the nursing field outside of her classes at BU.  

The study abroad group visited a health center to observe what Rwandan healthcare was like. “I learned how different people are, whether it being a patient you run into or co-workers on the floor, someone might have completely different ideas and beliefs from you. [But] that’s no reason why they shouldn’t have access to healthcare, like anyone else,” she points out.  

“After my first week there, I realized everyone’s going to think and view healthcare differently and you have to adapt to those ideas and beliefs in order to provide the best health care,” she commented.

While abroad, Moreno and her new friends sat in class with students from the University of Rwanda. "They always made us feel welcomed,” she says.

When the students had free time, they would all get together. “We would catch a bus and go hiking.” The Rwandan students “showed us how they get around,” Moreno adds.

In Rwanda, it is more common to take motorcycle taxis rather than cars to travel. Moreno said everyone was friendly. “We never went alone; we always had a group of us going together and our Rwandan friends always checked in on us.”  

The special bonds made between Moreno and her new friends are secured through social media. “It’s a little more difficult to keep in touch with the Rwandan students because they do not use social media as much as we do here. But occasionally, I see updates on Instagram, and we interact with each other's photos.”

For one day, the students in the program were able to experience a day in the lives of a true Rwandan. Moreno worked in fields, walked up and down hills for water, and fed grass to cows. “This experience gave me a different perspective on things you have that you don’t realize you were taking advantage of and that is what I came here for.”

Those three weeks in Rwanda served Moreno well as she continues her journey to become a traveling nurse to help those in need.  

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Bloomsburg University international business students claim top honors at CUIBE case competition

BLOOMSBURG — Bloomsburg University’s Global Business Association took first place at the 2021 University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) Consortium for Undergraduate International Business Education (CUIBE) International Business Case Competition, held virtually in March.  

BU’s international business students,, Carolyn Benner, Glenn Klinger, Maranda Plunkett, and Patrick Dorsey, provided a thorough strategic analysis and recommended strategic actions for a company pertaining to a relevant area of international business. 

“The competition judges were impressed with the quality of the solutions, the depth of the analysis, and the professionalism exhibited by the team,” said professor Lam Nguyen, the team’s adviser and chair of the Department of Management and International Business. “The CUIBE IB Case Competition is extremely competitive and BU’s team placed ahead of all of other competing schools is a testament to the high-quality international business major program that we are offering to our students. I am proud of our students' dedication, hard work, and accomplishments. I want to also commend associate professor Wai Kwan (Elaine) Lau who is also coaching the team with me.”

Bloomsburg scored higher than teams from Michigan State University, Temple University, University of Oklahoma, Washington University in St. Louis, and five others to claim the top honor.

International Business (B.S.B.A.)

Bloomsburg University’s international business program is uniquely designed with a qualitative liberal arts foundation, a business core, an interdisciplinary IB core including a short-term faculty-led study abroad opportunity, and a functional specialization that provides you with functional skills in addition to the required business core and IB major knowledge, which increases your job marketability after graduation. As an international business major, you'll develop a global mindset, global competencies, and an appreciation of cultural and global differences that will give you the edge in the global job market.

International Business Specializations

 o International Business - Accounting  o International Business - Finance  o International Business - Human Resource Management  o International Business - Information Technology  o International Business - Marketing  o International Business - Economics *  o International Business - Policy and Globalization *

    * Collaboration with College of Liberal Arts

Graduates with an international business expertise are projected to be in an increasing demand, as the gross domestic products (GDP) of both developed and developing countries continue to rely more heavily on international trade and investment.

 o Program Requirements  o Course Sequence

Why study international business?

Pursuing international business will increase your understanding of global markets and various regions of the world, thus enhancing your marketability in the business profession. As an international business major, you'll have greater insights into the global economic and business climates. Adding a global education component, such as study abroad, will only be more beneficial for your efforts to potentially work anywhere across the globe.

[bloomsburgu]

Is a career journey a path or a maze?

By Eden Berlin, communications assistant

For many college students, their career journey is a straight line. They choose a major based on their field of interest, and every internship, engagement opportunity, or experience leads them to a job in that desired field. However, this was not the case for Erica Gebbia ’20. Her career path took twists and turns in ways she could have never imagined.

Gebbia graduated from Bloomsburg University amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, as a dual major in anthropology and environmental, geographical, and geological sciences. The pandemic altered her plans, leading her to work remote for a local housing authority in Salt Lake City, Utah called Housing Connect. Housing Connect is responsible for finding affordable homes for low-income families in their area. Serving as a public relations and fundraising VISTA for Americorps is not what Gebbia had in mind after graduation because her previous experiences at BU were taking her in a different direction. While at BU, Gebbia took advantage of all the opportunities that the university has to offer, allowing her to participate in internships, civic engagement, and research to gain experience in her field of interest.

Her internship was with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), where she created workshops and presentations to engage in community outreach programs. 

“Interning with the DEP afforded me valuable knowledge and experience with community development,” Gebbia said. She learned so much from this experience, but what stuck out the most to her was that “engaging with the public is an important, necessary component to ensure the success of any organization as it helps create a sense of shared responsibility and civic duty.”  

After this internship opportunity, Gebbia did not stop there. Working with the PA DEP, Gebbia felt inspired to participate in a cross-country cycling ride called Bike and Build, to raise money and awareness for the affordable housing cause. 

“I continued to further my experience with community development...which was monumental in bringing my college coursework to life.” Gebbia said, as she engaged in this race. Bike and Build is where Gebbia learned about Americor. “I thought it would be a good segue, given the times, to gain professional experience.” 

The Bike and Build trip allowed her to take on a new role, one in the communications field. Gebbia’s previous volunteer work benefits her today because she is the current public relations and fundraising VISTA for Housing Connect. This opportunity led her to conduct an ethnographic research study, where she took part in observations, interviews, and surveys. “I studied how individuals conceptualize various geographical locations,” Gebbia said.  

Gebbia was able to take part in two work studies during her last year at BU. She was a peer mentor and a mass lecture assistant for Fazzino’s World Problems course. These job opportunities were important to her. 

“As a senior, these positions were valuable to me as I was able to help students engage with a subject that I am passionate about,” she said.  

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gebbia’s second internship opportunity ended up being remote. She was supposed to go to the Island of Kosrae to conduct research.

This whole journey navigating different opportunities has wildly changed Gebbia’s career path. Although it was not what Gebbia expected, she is content with her current position now, as it allows her to hike every day after work and travel around Utah in her free time.  

“I am grateful for my time spent at Bloomsburg University and do not think I would be where I am today without the support and guidance of the anthropology department,” Gebbia said.

Gebbia has no set plan for the future. “I’d like to stay in the realm of community development and social justice to work with people in person, and eventually get back to doing things with food security.”

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BASTL student leaving non-traditional mark on CGA

BLOOMSBURG — Members of Bloomsburg University’s Community Government Association (CGA) executive board and senate are generally your typical college-age students between the ages of 18-22 who live on or near campus.

Lizz Matias breaks that mold in many ways. A non-traditional student elected to the CGA senate as the off-campus representative, Matias lives in Reading, 70 miles from campus.

“I decided to run for CGA Senate after receiving an email about elections,” said Matias, a senior. “One of the problems I ran into as a part-time student at Bloomsburg is that I am not eligible for Dean’s List, or any academic distinction because of my part-time status. When I looked further into Bloomsburg Academic Distinction honors, I found out you need 45 credits at BU  to even graduate with honors. While I know I might not be able to get these changes made for my graduating class, I hope to get this change made for everyone who follows after me and is working full-time while taking night classes.”

Along with serving as a member of the senate, she has a few other duties as well. “I volunteered to run and was voted in as the Senior Class treasurer, and serve as the CGA rep on the university’s planning and budget committee as well as the finance committee,” said Matias.

Matias graduated from high school in 2009 and moved on to a four-year college in south-central Pennsylvania, but soon found that she wasn’t ready for college. After a few years in the workforce, she enrolled at Reading Area Community College (RACC), earning her associate’s degree in accounting in 2015.

“I enrolled in BU’s Bachelor of Applied Science and Technical Leadership (BASTL) program at RACC,” said Matias. “It was great that I could get my bachelor’s degree on the same campus as my fiancé while he worked on his associate’s degree.”

“I never did well with remote learning, so I started with the classes I could take on RACC’s campus. Since I was working full-time, I only took two classes per semester at night. I am on schedule to graduate in May 2021.”

If she could give her younger self any advice, it would be to know you don’t have to go right to college after high school.

“That’s the one thing I think every high school graduate needs to know,” Matias.  “Don’t force something on yourself that you aren’t ready for. I am ready now and have a 3.63 GPA.”

As for life after Bloomsburg University, Matias is still weighing her options.

“Accounting is not what I want to go back to now,” Matias continued. “I’m interested in working at the college level in some capacity. Grad school at Bloomsburg University is going to be one of those options.”

[bloomsburgu]

Professional sales students deliver as top PA team, among the best at ICSC

It was a memorable performance for a group of Bloomsburg University professional sales and marketing students who placed 14th out of 80 schools in the recent International Collegiate Sales Competition (ICSC), hosted virtually by Florida State University due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ohio State University won the overall World Cup of Sales competition, which reflects the combined scores of the sales management simulation, sales management case, and role-play competitions, as well as webinar points.  

Bloomsburg — the top performing Pennsylvanian school — was just two points behind West Virginia University and finished ahead the University of Central Florida and Iowa State. The next highest PA school was Temple University, placing 48th.

“We were in the mix with some of the top schools in the country,” says Matthew Loeh, a professional sales and marketing major competing in his second-ever sales management case competition. “It really put into perspective how well Dr. (Monica) Favia prepares us for this.”

Of the two Bloomsburg teams, one came away with a little history themselves.

Matt Dalrymple and Loeh teamed up to advance past the qualifying event and place second in their virtual room of the sales management case competition. It was the best showing a Bloomsburg team has had in the five years competing in the ICSC case competition, according to Favia, program coordinator and chair of the Department of Marketing and Professional Sales.

“If you truly want to make it in sales, you must work harder and put in more time than everyone else,” says Dalrymple, a professional sales and marketing major competing in his first-ever virtual sales competition. “Matt and I were tasked with coming up with new prospecting solutions for Paychex … solutions on how they could increase prospecting in a COVID-19 business environment.”

Dalrymple said the two had about 24 hours to come up with viable solutions and back them up with data and outside research, as well as create a presentation to present the next day to a panel of judges.

“My favorite aspect of the competition was the time crunch,” says Loeh, who landed a job offer with Oracle/Netsuite from the competition’s corporate networking session. “Only having 24 hours to do a case study really makes you push yourself to work harder than normal, and I was glad to have a great partner for it.”

The other team — Ryleigh Benjamin and Brittany Zipovsky, who individually placed in the Top 16 as a semifinalist at last spring’s National Collegiate Sales Competition — advanced to the quarterfinals of the role-play competition.

“We were selling an IT security software known as GreyMatter, acting as the sales representative from ReliaQuest who was trying to get a new client to buy and implement it within their company,” says Benjamin, a professional sales and marketing major competing in her first-ever sales competition. “However, it’s not just about making the sale. You have a 15- or 20-minute time slot to build rapport, ask the right questions, actively listen, present your product, and answer questions. And of course, the goal is to close at the end of the deal.”

Zipovsky’s spring experience ended up paying dividends.

“I already knew how to handle a virtual environment with a live client, and Dr. Favia showed us ways to keep the buyer's attention in this new environment,” Zipovsky says. “My partner had never attended a sales competition before and in each round, we ranked the same in our individual role-play events. This just goes to show that practice, research, great coaching, and confidence goes a long way in these competitions.”

According to the four students, they spent hours on their own connecting on Zoom and FaceTime to prepare as teams, as well as online sessions with Favia developing a game plan and confidence as a group. The hard work paid off as the two professional sales teams collectively placed Bloomsburg in the Top 15 overall

“My biggest take away is don’t give up,” Benjamin says. “I had a lot of bad role plays before I had great ones. This competition — and being inviting to represent Bloomsburg University by Dr. Favia — taught me another layer to the word resilience. A ‘small’ school placing 14th out of the 80 invited to participate, I’ll take it.”

Despite ICSC’s pivot due to the pandemic, Zipovsky says it was still worthwhile and impactful. Plenty of lasting takeaways.  

“In trying times like this, I’m thankful we were all healthy and had great support systems to be able to attend the competition virtually,” Zipovsky says. “Like the NCSC back in March, I've learned that being versatile and flexible goes a long way. Things are not always going to go according to plan and by choosing to make the best of the situation, you may be surprised at how many doors that opens for you.”

Professional Sales and Marketing (B.S.B.A.)

It's one of the most common jobs for students graduating with a sales degree — 60 percent of all business majors and 88 percent of all marketing majors begin their professional careers in a sales-related role. And that fast-paced, exciting journey begins here at Bloomsburg University!

One of its kind in Pennsylvania

“There's a need within Pennsylvania this program will address,” said Monica Favia, chair of the Department of Marketing and Professional Sales. “The addition of the major along with BU’s membership in the University Sales Center Alliance represents a distinctive advantage for Bloomsburg University and its students. This fall the first three students will graduate with the major.”

BU was first named among the top North American schools in 2015 by the Sales Education Foundation’s (SEF) listing of the best universities offering professional sales education. BU is one of only five Pennsylvania institutions included in the listing. SEF recognizes institutions for elevating the sales profession through university education, helping you to secure the professional sales position you want and deserve.

The professional sales and marketing program is available in two forms:

a B.S.B.A. in Professional Sales and Marketing

as a minor open to any major

Students also have the opportunity to test their skills at various national sales competitions and internally at the annual on-campus competition. In addition, one of the program requirements is to engage in real-world selling. BU sales students have had great success in the sales profession securing positions with a number of corporations.

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Data science opening doors to real-world impact

Juliette Gudknecht is an analytical type who likes to solve problems.

Majoring in physics was an obvious and fitting choice for her at Bloomsburg University. Then she discovered how mathematics could be used to solve real-world problems.

And her sights were set.

“I took one computer science class and fell in love with programming,” says Gudknecht, a mathematics and physics dual major who plans to pursue a master’s degree in data science and become a data scientist. “I’ve always been fascinated with science, specifically astronomy. I had the same mindset most do — that (astro) physics would be too hard to pursue, or that I was bad at math. I decided to just go for it and work hard.”

That grit and determination has led to a lengthy resume of internships, summer programs, and research opportunities to include two years of analyzing NASA telescope data. All done semesters ahead of graduating next summer.

Her latest endeavors involve interning with the U.S. Department of State working on a machine learning neural network algorithm for visa applications and assisting Authentic Social as a consultant intern, leveraging her data science skills with sales analytics and improving their social media strategies.

“I love it,” Gudknecht says. “It's a great change of pace from previous internships and class projects. I’m getting real-world experience and fostering connections to advance my career.”

Networking and real-world impact have been Gudknecht’s calling, a common thread to her vast list of out-of-classroom experiences that have included projects with Princeton, Stanford and Old Dominion universities, and most recently her machine learning internship with the federal state department.

“Basically, I’m using mass amounts of data to train the computer to work on its own,” Gudknecht says. “This involves using information for visa applications and automating some of the processes, so we can catch things better and improve our national security. It's a super fun internship! I’ve made many connections already (with) other universities, tech companies, and federal agencies.”

Gudknecht got an earlier taste of machine learning — a branch of data science that involves building algorithms from a math model based on sample data — this past spring helping Geisinger Medical Center during the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I was very happy to help out,” says Gudknecht in creating machine learning algorithms from Geisinger’s (COVID-19) data to predict the curve of cases. “It’s made me very motivated to tackle real-world problems. I also found a love for healthcare informatics. I think it’s awesome I could make a difference and save lives through data science.”

Her methodic climb through physics and math into data science can be traced back to those single steps she took in gauging her initial interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) as a teen, bringing her to Bloomsburg.

“I've learned mathematical and computational skills that are very transferrable and in high demand on the job market,” Gudknecht says. “I recommend any STEM major who likes to solve problems to look into the data science program at BU. Job prospects look great for data science and the professors are amazing.”

Excited about self-driving cars and voice recognition?

What about researching human behavior using social media? Can you recognize the key features embedded in data?

The field of data science focuses on learning methods to extract meaning and the hidden truth from data. Sound interesting? It really is! It's a combination of techniques and theories from many fields including mathematics, computers science, statistics, machine learning, pattern recognition, communication studies and ethics.

Bloomsburg University's data science major equips you to draw conclusions from data, using knowledge of statistical inference, computational technology, data management skills and related theories. Study practical and scientific topics, learning how to carry out analyses of data through the full cycle of the investigative process. Participate in a project-based capstone course that synthesizes the skills and knowledge learned in the various disciplines that encompass data science. BU’s Department of Mathematical and Digital Sciences is ready to help you become a data scientist.

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Supplying the front lines in the fight against COVID-19

Alex Annan’s first job out of college has not only been the perfect fit for the Bloomsburg University supply chain management graduate, it’s positioned him to be among the key players in the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

And that’s exactly where he wants to be.

“Cardinal Health’s commitment to fulfilling the needs of patients and doctors across the world was very rewarding to me,” says Annan ′19, ′20M, who started at Cardinal Health as a supply chain specialist in July while finishing his Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree requirements. “I believed starting my career at an organization that was known for their supply chain capabilities would help me become a more well-rounded professional.”

Cardinal Health, Inc. is regarded as a leader in providing health care solutions, services and products to pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics across the country. The multinational company has headquarters in Dublin, Ohio, and Dublin, Ireland.

Annan says he’s part of a large team that’s responsible for ensuring medical devices and prescription drugs stored at the company’s Swedesboro, N.J., Distribution Center are being delivered to pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics at the right place, right time, and in the correct amount.

Since March, according to Annan, Cardinal Health has been on the front lines doing its part fighting against COVID-19 by supplying numerous healthcare facilities in the northeast region with essential supplies like gloves, face masks, surgical gowns, prescription drugs and many other important supplies that help doctors and physicians provide aid to COVID and non-COVID patients.

This process — now being played out in real-time — was a foundation of study for Annan as an undergraduate in the AACSB-accredited Zeigler College of Business.

“The curriculum focused on a broad array of topics in supply chain management that gave me exposure and knowledge I use in my everyday tasks,” Annan says. “Topics like lean six sigma, fundamentals of operations management, and logistics are all things I was taught at Bloom that I now use to do my work. The professors also did a great job in giving my peers and I real-world examples and helping us understand the leadership skills needed to excel in a business environment.”  

Adding in his motivation to lead and inspire change, Annan felt it was a fitting next step to pursue an M.B.A. after earning his bachelor’s degree.

“I believe by educating myself and enhancing my leadership, communication, and decision-making skills, I’ll be fully equipped to be able to lead a group of people to make changes in the world through business,” says Annan, who also played four years on the Huskies football team as a linebacker, three as a PSAC Scholar Athlete. “Currently, I’m using all the skills and knowledge I gained from BU to be able to be a part of an organization that’s helping to fight a global pandemic that’s affected our way of life.”

[bloomsburgu]

College of Education names its top students

Bloomsburg University’s College of Education recognized its Outstanding Seniors in each of its undergraduate for the 2019-20 academic year.

From the deaf and hard of hearing of education program Julia Krueger was recognized, while from American Sign Language/English interpreting Kate Andres was named the top senior.

In special education Abigail Potter is the top senior, while in early childhood education Joseph Kline was recognized. From middle level education Taylor Prehotsky was named the top senior, while Brett Budwash from secondary education was named the top senior.

[bloomsburgu]

Information technology research takes centerstage at virtual symposium

One looked into looked into how American Disabilities Act regulations are applied digitally, while the other examined the diversity and inclusivity of IT and business job descriptions posted online.

Two distinct research topics. Both rooted in information technology.

Bloomsburg University graduate students, Kyle Fromert and Frank Bucco, were among the featured co-authored research presentations at this spring’s 4th annual Technology Education Research Symposium (TERS) by PAECT. Both are pursuing master’s degrees and on track to be the first graduating cohort of BU’s newly minted Master of Science in Information Technology program that launched last fall.

“Today with a fast-paced technology-based society it’s critical for everyone to have access to webpage services,” said Fromert, a Penn State graduate and president of Black Swan Consulting Firm. “The importance can be observed especially during this COVID-19 pandemic. Where vital information and essential services are being delivered through a web application or mobile application.”

In his co-authored research — American Disabilities Act and Webpage Accessibility: Current Regulations and the Future of Webpage Accessibility — Fromert looked into the current regulations of the federal civil rights law and how they apply to webpages, mobile applications, kiosks, and other technology-based applications. 

“ADA compliance is extremely important to ensure that those with disabilities have the ability to access vital information and for the ability to access essential services,” said Fromert, who’s research won Best of TERS for K-12, giving it advanced acceptance for the PETE&C 2021 Conference. “Throughout our research, we examined various ADA non-compliance cases and observed the court's decisions. Furthermore, we looked into current and future trends of ADA webpage compliance.”

In his co-authored research — Importance of Global, Inclusive, and Culturally Sensitive Knowledge: Mining IT Job Advertisements — Bucco focused on looking at the diversity and inclusivity of IT and business job descriptions of various companies posted on BU’s. Handshake job board.

“As technology continues to boom and communication with people across the globe improves, it becomes more important to be aware of cultural differences and to be more sensitive to towards differences,” said Bucco ‘17, a BU graduate in information and technology management and junior business analyst for Freedom Mortgage. “We wanted to see the percentage of companies that were looking for and incorporating inclusion and diversity into their business models and what percentage were expecting diversity and inclusion in their potential hires.”

Additionally, he said they also wanted to look at how college students can be better prepared to handle a more diverse and inclusive workforce.  Information technology played a pretty big role in their research methods, he added.

“Our data was pulled from Handshake, where various companies around the globe can post job openings for Bloomsburg students and alumni,” Bucco said. “We used several open source data mining tools to help drive our results and expand our focus in areas we didn't think to use initially.”

Among the other topics covered at the symposium — held virtually this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic — included educational technology innovation, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and eLearning.

“My biggest takeaway was the amount of effort each presenter took to research and present their work,” Fromert said. “Especially during these trying times, it was nice to see all the presenters come together through a Zoom conference to present their hard work.”

Bucco was impressed with how diverse and impactful information technology can be for industries and how much potential it has to grow.

“The way we manage information has changed drastically over recent years, quickly becoming more efficient and secure,” Bucco said. “The more we heard from the various speakers, the more I came to the realization of just how important learning about information technology has become.”

Powell, L., Powell, D. Bucco, F. & Keller, E. (2020). Importance of Global, Inclusive, and Culturally Sensitive Knowledge: Mining IT Job Advertisements. The 4th Annual Technology Education Research Symposium (TERS) by PAECT, Bloomsburg, PA.

Fromert, K., Powell, L & Powell, D. (2020). American Disabilities Act and Webpage Accessibility: Current Regulations and the Future of Webpage Accessibility. The 4th Annual Technology Education Research Symposium (TERS) by PAECT,  Bloomsburg, PA.

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EGGS department names scholarship winners

Bloomsburg University’s Department of Environmental, Geographical, and Geological Sciences named its scholarship winners for 2019-20.

Earning the Enman Service Award is Ashley Barebo, while Emily Bruce was awarded the Enman Scholarship for Environmental Field Camp. The Enman Scholarship for geography and planning internship goes to Meg Ronan and Blair Johnston.

The Braun geology field camp scholarship is awarded to Alison Evans and Nathan Gadinski, while Lea Zarr is the Professor Brian and Marty Johnson geography and planning scholarship winner.

The Joshua D. Sonntag ’14 and Chelci A. Kravabloski ’16 EGGS scholarship is awarded to Lacie Pichler, while the Tearpock Field Camp awarded is given to Ian Van Wagenen and William Soha.

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Senior’s work as a dramaturge leads to Outstanding Drama Student award

The winner of the 2019-20 Bloomsburg University Division of Theatre and Dance Outstanding Drama Student award, Kira Loux, doesn’t fit the profile of your typical winner of a performing arts award. She’s one of the people who works tirelessly backstage to make sure everything frontstage is executed flawlessly.

What makes Loux atypical from previous recipients is that she is not a performer, like an actor or singer. Instead, she had an integrated focus and studied dramaturgy. The discipline of dramaturgy seeks to aid the director in fully and accurately representing a production to the public.

“I was really surprised. I didn’t know I was eligible since I graduated in December and wasn’t an actor,” said Loux.

Loux’s work, although behind the scenes, was integral to the success of several shows.

“Kira’s work as a dramaturge helped the audience connect with the shows in a variety of ways,” said Ethan Krupp, a faculty member in the theatre department. “For our production of The Importance of Being Earnest, her packet on Oscar Wilde, the setting of the play, and related background information was vital to helping the actors understand how and why the play exists in the manner it does,” Krupp explained. “Why did Wilde write it, how did people react to it, what does it mean? By having a deeper understanding of these things, the actors were better positioned to successfully embody their characters, because they understood the how and why about how these characters came into being.”

Her role as dramaturge continued as she worked on Naomi Iizuka’s Good Kids, which dealt with the issue of sexual assault. In addition to the production, she curated a library display of resources for sexual assault survivors and moderated a discussion on the subject after performances.

Loux also supported the theater and dance department by welding scenery for the Spring 2018 production of Machinal by Sophie Treadwell and served as student representative to Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble. She also was a member of the committee that helped select potential performers for the Celebrity Artists Series for the 2018-19 academic year and helped to guide the construction of the new Arts in Bloom series. In addition to being a theater major, she also majored in history and drew on her knowledge and resources afforded by that discipline.

Loux, a native of Quakertown, now works as a quality assurance archivist for the Almac Group, a pharmaceutical company. As an employee during the current pandemic, she is working hard juggling multiple projects.  

“Receiving this award meant a lot to me, especially during these times,” remarked Loux. “It’s easy to get caught up in adult life and things, but it’s good to remember that I have family at Bloomsburg University.”

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Biology student dives into coral restoration project  

Caitlyn Collins has reached new depths in her study of marine biology.

Quite literally.

The second-year biology (M.S.) graduate student spent part of her summer research work at the Roatan Institute of Marine Science in Honduras where she not only helped with a coral restoration project but learned to SCUBA dive to fully participate in the underwater data collection.

“The idea of jumping into the water, not knowing what was under you, and looking straight out into the blue would freak me out,” said Collins, who visited the institute with her coral reef ecology class through the Chincoteague Bay Field Station in Wallops Island, Va. “Now, I feel like it was the most incredible thing I’ve ever done, and I can’t wait to get back in the water.”

She added, “I found the endless blue calming and the weightlessness of diving relaxing. I got to swim with sea turtle and get up close to groupers and sharks, something I never thought I would do. I learned the diversity of coral and was able to see it in person, something you can’t really understand by just learning about it during lecture.”

Her underwater work was done as part of a coral restoration project being conducted at the Roatan Marine Institute.

“They’re taking fragments of Acropora cervicornis (Staghorn Coral) and Acropora palmata (Elkhorn Coral) and connecting them to a tree,” Collins said. “This tree will allow them to grow without the threat of predation and disturbance. Once the fragments reach a certain size, the fragments are replanted onto the reef.”

This is done in an effort to help restore coral reefs. Both of these corals are extremely important to the foundation of coral reefs and are a critically endangered species, according to Collins.  

“I was able to collect data on what species are on the reef, the type of substrata they’re living in, and the temperature and depth they are found at,” said Collins, who was taught to SCUBA dive up to 20 meters into the ocean and collect data. “Before this trip, I had no experience SCUBA diving and doing field work in the water. Now, I have done 25 dives and have learned techniques for collecting scientific data underwater.”

Even after experiencing the depths of the ocean up close, Collins believes the best part of being in Roatan was being exposed to the culture of Honduras.

“I got the opportunity to meet local people who knew so much about the ocean and the coral reefs around them that you would never know after being there for only two weeks,” said Collins, who’s working with Thomas Klinger, professor of biological and allied health sciences, to study the effect thermal stress has on the metabolic rates of sub-tidal species of sea urchins found in the Caribbean. “This data will be used as part of my thesis work to show the ecological impact these species of sea urchin will have on the coral reefs in the Caribbean.”

All of her collected data will give insight into the potential impacts of climate change on oceanic life.

“After I graduate, I would love to work at a marine station like the Roatan Institute of Marine Science,” Collins said. “This trip gave me valuable experience I would need to start a career like this. The experience helped me build field skills as a marine biology and also learn how to collect data while under water.”

  — Kelsey Jones, physics major