What is Student Support Services? It Might Not Be What You Think… By: Kayla Austin

Student Support Services (SSS) is a federal TRiO program funded to serve first generation college students who may have a

low income background.* However, the title of the program might be misleading. SSS does not serve all students on campus, nor does it assist only academically disadvantaged students. The goal of SSS is to help a select group of students to adjust to college life and provide them with academic,

social, cultural, and financial resources on campus so they can graduate and succeed in accomplishing their career goals. Many services are offered through this federally funded program. Students can seek out

the faculty writing specialist, Julie Story, for any stage of the writing process. Throughout the semester, their attendance is requested at various workshops, such as a financial literacy program that educates students about the monetary aspects of college, Also, they can consult with peer mentors, SSS upperclassmen who assist them in making the transition from high school to college. Additionally, SSS freshmen have the opportunity to enroll in ADAC119, a first-year seminar course for student success. The course is designed to make the transition to college easier by familiarizing the students with LHU’s resources, campus layout, website, and other information essential to student success. (continued on page 5)

Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania Volume VI Issue II Spring 2013

Student Support Services Department of Academic Development & Counseling 105/113/115 Russell Hall Lock Haven University Lock Haven, PA 17745 Phone: 570-484-2324 or 570-484-2345 Web: www.lhup.edu/ student-support-services Facebook: LHU Student Support Services

I N SI DE THI S I S SU E :

What is the SSS program?

1

SSS Scholarship Opportunities

1

Community Service Reflection

2

Peer Mentors 3

SSS Dean’s List Fall 2012

3

Celebration of Scholarship

4

Foundation and Honors Awards

5

Book Review : This I Believe II

5

Senior Spotlight 6

SSS Graduate Student Success

6

Meet the SSS Staff 7

Meet the Co-Editors

8

From left, Psychology major Sierra Hoy, Pre-PA major Ashley Seeley, and Communications

major Kayla Austin are three first-generation college students in the SSS program.

Scholarships Through SSS

By: Kayla Austin Each year, any freshman in the SSS program who is

receiving a PELL grant has an opportunity to apply for a grant through the SSS Grant

-in-Aid Program. To be awarded one of the grants, students must have a minimum 2.0

GPA in the fall semester, they must attend at least one workshop and social event

hosted by the program, and they must submit a brief essay with a given prompt. The

Student Support Services freshmen who received grants this school year are Kayla

Austin, Emily Furl, Joseph Mattern, Andrew McMahon, Emma Rife, Sarah Walsh, and

Julia Whistler. Among those seven students, a total of $22,168 was awarded. Awards

were based on the minimum Pell grant amount. Each scholarship was applied to the

student’s tuition for the 2012-13 academic year.

*Low and limited incomes are according to federal guidelines.

P A G E 2

S T U D E N T S U P P O R T S E R V I C E S

Life Lessons Only a Community Can Teach By: Laila Longer Emily Furl is a second-semester freshman Geology major, pursuing a minor in Nanotechnology as one of LHU’s Nano scholars in the Global Honors Program. Also a student in the SSS program, Emily found that transitioning into a college learning environment was much easier with resources such as counseling, tutoring, and writing consultations. The most difficult obstacle for Emily to overcome was time management. For her coursework in Honors and her SSS-designated freshman seminar class, Emily participated in a service project to integrate into the community and to help clarify her personal values. She didn’t feel that the “dirty work” involved in cleaning up Highland Cemetery would leave her with anything valuable. However, she discovered, “it takes an emotional toll to be in a cemetery. You kind of think about life.” And Emily did, as she reflects upon in her essay excerpt below: This event made me realize how important the respect of the deceased is. Prior to this I have never really dealt with death and had never really been to a graveyard. Walking through the cemetery and seeing some of the dates on the graves really made me realize how short life is. There were several infant graves that I came across as well as one freshly covered grave. While removing the damaged flags off the graves of veterans it made me think of how much respect we as a society have for the people that served our country. The largest area of veteran graves overlooks the university and the river. It is very fitting that people who helped to protect our country are placed in such a picturesque area. Throughout the event, we as an organization had some feelings that we were not expecting to have. Many of us felt guilty for removing the plastic flowers from the graves. We almost felt that we were disrespecting the deceased by doing this. However, we accepted that this was a part of the job and that we removed the worn flowers so that

family and friends could replace them with newer ones. This event also impacted us because we did not feel right walking over the graves, but we were left with little choice. In the end, the progress we made in cleaning up the cemetery outweighed these feelings. Due to the feelings brought up during this event,it has, in some ways, given me a new perspective on life. Seeing the infant graves and the recently covered grave hit me and several others very strongly. It made me think about how life can be very short sometimes, and that I need to live my life to the fullest. It is very important to respect others not only in life, but also in death. This is especially important in the lives of veterans. Many people in my family, as well as some of my friends, were or are currently in the military. I know the importance of what they do, and they should be forever honored. This event made me realize how great it feels knowing that in some way I was helping others, and seeing the difference that we made, especially while cleaning up the brush, made us feel like we did a job well done.

Community service learning is a meaningful experience that everyone should experience. The Highland Cemetery Clean Up has had a lasting impact on me as well as the others in the group. Community Service learning helped reinforce the importance of helping others. Events like this can teach a person a lot about society and themselves. This was my first community service assignment that I have ever done, and I will be sure to participate in more. I love doing things that I know are going to benefit someone else, so doing community service will be very meaningful to me. Community service has had a lasting impact on me, and I will continue to find events that interest me. I look forward to being able to participate in many more events, especially next semester when my school schedule allows me more time to do things between classes. Being in the Honors Program, I have many opportunities to participate in meaningful events that will greatly benefit the community.

Emily Furl reflected on how community

service provides valuable insight.

Highland Cemetery, near LHU, was the site of the community service clean up project.

P A G E 3 V O L U M E 6 , I S S U E 2

Peer Mentors Make an Impact By: Kayla Austin The SSS program offers a beneficial resource to students through peer mentors. The transition from high school to college is not an easy change for some freshmen. To assist students with this adjustment that might be overwhelming, the peer mentors guide students during their academic and social experiences. Sam Done and Devon Hairston are the peer mentors for the 2012-13 school year.

Also in the SSS program, each peer mentor has been exposed to situations similar to their mentees. Devon strongly advised his mentees, "If you want to have fun and get good grades, do what you have to do. If you slack and only have fun, it will be evident with the grades you receive." Sam's biggest piece of advice was that help is all around campus, so students would be foolish not to use it. "We have tutoring centers, writing specialists, career counselors, individual academic advisors, disability services . . . there are so many opportunities for success here." Sam also cautioned against procrastination and poor time management. "Academics come first! If you procrastinate and get a good grade, you got lucky. But if you procrastinate and get a bad grade, you earned it." Sam promoted the program and encouraged any first-generation college student to be a part of it. He said, “The scholarship money helped me out a lot, as did my mentors and the program’s directors. They were always there, always concerned, and always willing to help when I needed it.” The freshmen appreciated their mentors’ assistance. Miranda Miaris claimed that Sam did a great job of making students feel comfortable to ask questions. “I knew I always had an upperclassman to talk to when I needed some advice." Emma Rife pointed out that Devon helped her and her classmates by sharing his personal experiences and giving advice.

Peer mentors have proven to be a valuable aspect of the SSS program because they are a reliable resource, available, friendly, and able to guide freshmen in the proper direction for success.

Sam Done, left, and Devon Hairston, right, are the peer

mentors this school year. These sophomore guys

enjoyed giving back to the SSS program because their mentors impacted them in

such a positive way!

Taylor Bechtel Amber Biddle Julie Battin Cherrylann Blackman Andrea Brackbill Taylor Cable Joseph Carpentier Laura Clouser Paige Fisher Jacqueline Flores-Leyva Shelby Gazzo Carly Heider Amber Hryn Morgan Johnson Christina Jones Marina Keiter Teanna Kobuck Roseanna Lance Cierra Lees Joshua Livelsberger

Cornell Lorson Amber Lucas Alexandra Mahaffey Joseph Mattern Brandon McIver Clayton McSherry Victoria Minor Linzy Nocchi Chelsea Ogden Michelle Otte Emilie Rogers Tatiana Sandoval Justin Schomaker Todd Schorr Ashley Seeley Lindsey Shaffer Robert Smith Lucian Snare Colton Spade Jessica Stives

Daniel Teleguz Kodie Vermillion Jessica Way Sabrina Werley Julia Whistler Francis Witmayer Nicole Ziesman Michael Zumar

Congratulations to SSS Fall 2012 Dean’s List! 3.5 GPA or Higher

S T U D E N T S U P P O R T S E R V I C E S

For her HIST328: Witchcraft in Early Modern Europe class, junior Ariel Guerra created a poster presentation about “The Witches’ Sabbath” for Celebration of Scholarship on April 24, 2013. She is majoring in Communications with a minor in Women and Gender Studies and is also the secretary of the LHU Radio Club. Ariel became interested in the subject because it relates to her religion, Wicca. Witches, Ariel discovered, often observed the Sabbath by water or at a crossroads, so participants could disperse quickly. An abundance of cats was thought to be a sign that a witch’s Sabbath was coming soon.

She said, “J.K. Rowling got the idea of the Dark Mark from the Sabbath. Witches were said to have tattoos that would activate when it was time to meet for a Sabbath.”

Ariel’s poster with many interesting facts about the

Witches’ Sabbath.

Junior Ariel Guerra at Celebration of Scholarship.

Dillon Benjamin also completed a project for Celebration of Scholarship. A junior Accounting major from Towanda,

PA, Dillon is a leader on campus within the Global Honors Program. Currently, he is an intern at Jackson Hewitt, the second largest tax preparation service in the United States. Benjamin participated in the Celebration of Scholarship for Dr. Marcia Kurzynski’s MANG315: Concepts and Strategies. Kyle White and Erin Campomizzi were his project partners. They were assigned a poster presentation on Hope Enterprises Incorporated, a health care industry located in Williamsport, PA. “The basis of the project was to learn how Hope Enterprises operates and what management techniques they use to be successful. We truly learned a lot about their practices and stylistic procedures,” Dillon said. As part of the project, Dillon and his group members contacted the Human Resources Vice President every other week to get first hand feedback on managing a company. The poster presentation titled “HOPE” discussed factors of leadership, management responsibilities, communication in the workplace, and conflict resolution. From this presentation, the LHU junior learned management tips to take with him for his own future. “When managing it is necessary to be passionate about what you do. Make sure you set clear expectations for what you expect out of your employees.” Dillon plans to add a second major in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance/Economics before this semester ends.

Listed at left are other SSS

students who presented at

Celebration of Scholarship on

April 24, 2013.

Amber Biddle Taylor Cable Joseph Carpentier Leonard Casterline Laura Clouser Erin Dempsey Eric Fenton Eric Garcia James Goins

Derrick Heller Katie Joyce Jessica Lloyd Karena Mitchell Linzy Nocchi Jeanne-Marie Pitre Dan Teleguz FrankWitmayer Ryan Worden

Junior Dillon Benjamin presented his poster on managing a business at

the Celebration of Scholarship.

P A G E 4

By: Laila Longer and Kayla Austin

(What is SSS? continued from front page) On top of the seminar class, a supplemental instruction course, History+, is offered for World History 2, a course on most schedules for freshmen. In this course, students have the opportunity to work with the SSS peer tutor outside of class in groups to review for tests, or just to gain a better understanding of the material. SSS understands the costs of text books are high, so a Book Loan program is available. In addition to those benefits, SSS also makes scholarships available to first-year students receiving a PELL grant along with other qualifications. This Grant-in-Aid program saves students each year from paying a portion of their tuition! This past year, a total of $22,168 was awarded in scholarships to SSS students.

Students already enrolled in the SSS program have taken advantage of the resources across campus, and have proven the program is undoubtedly beneficial. In the 2011-12 academic year, the goal of the Department of Education for the first to second year persistence rate of students was 70%. At LHU, SSS students rose above by 4% for a total of 74%. The Department of Education’s goal for students in good academic standing at the end of their first year was 80%. At LHU, 84% of SSS students were in good academic standing. Fifty-three percent of the 2006-07 freshman class in SSS earned a Bachelor’s Degree within 6 years, exceeding the Department of Education’s goal of 50%. For the most recent academic year, the overall GPA for LHU freshmen in SSS was 2.72, higher than for students outside of the program. These statistics confirm that SSS is a constructive program with long term benefits.

P A G E 5 V O L U M E 6 , I S S U E 2

Gerald R. Robinson Academic Honors & Foundation Awards SSS Recipients

Lindsey Shaffer Taylor Bechtel Dillon Benjamin Jessica Fisher Jacqueline Flores-Leyva Dillon Gavlock Sierra Hoy Cierra Lees Kailyn Mayshock Sherry Pierce Tatiana Sandoval Kayla Schnars

Tied for Arts/Sciences 2nd Highest GPA Leslie & Adrienne Noelk Scholarship Maude Brungard Memorial Scholarship L.R. & M.E. Gocella Family Scholarship Health Science Faculty Scholarship June Rich Whittaker Memorial Scholarship Mary Josephine Torsell Scholarship Dr. Mary Alice Smith Scholarship Sweitzer Millbrook Playouse Intern Freida & Leah Fromm Memorial Scholarship Fred O. Zimmerman Memorial Scholarship Lorraine Spikings Dullen Scholarship

Being a new body in a busy place can be quite intimidating. One approach to

combatting anxiety that may occur is through listening to people tell their personal stories of how they made it through challenges. In the collection of essays, This I Believe II, many diverse individuals tell their motivational stories.

In one of the essays entitled “Do What You Love,” Tony Hawk wrote about how people should take pride in what they do, no matter how others view it. This message is applicable to all students in a college setting, but more so to Exploratory Studies majors because they are still trying to decide what they want to do in life. Tony Hawk acquired his very first skateboard at age 9, went pro at age 14, and has never stopped doing what he loves. Hawk tells admirers, “You might not make it to the top, but if you are doing what you love, there is much more happiness there than being rich or famous.” He encourages readers to find what they love to do and prioritize that above income, social status, or anything else, which is a great message to send to university-level students.

Other essays in the book discuss overcoming stubbornness, adopting optimism as a lifestyle, developing perseverance, exercising personal integrity, and earning a better life through education. This I Believe II presents many messages suitable for any college-aged student.

The Power of Belief By: Kayla Austin

This I Believe II is an inspiring compilation of essays that encourages

readers to adopt positive values in their daily lives.

P A G E 6

S T U D E N T S U P P O R T S E R V I C E S

Amelia Baptiste Amber Biddle Nicholas Bodley Taylor Cable Laura Clouser Andrew Drumheller Amanda Edwards Eric Garcia Jeannelle Gervais Ryan-Allen Heidecker Teanna Kobuck

Kendra Kreitzer Joshua Livelsberger Cornell Lorson Brandon McIver Rebecca Muthler Linzy Nocchi Kenneth Purcell Elizabeth Romano Dana Ross Tatiana Sandoval Kristin Shade

Tania Shiffer Clayton Snyder Sabrina Werley Francis Witmayer Ryan Worden Former SSS - Graduate Students Lydia Dively Joshua Nagy

Tatiana Sandoval is an SSS senior majoring in Spanish and International Studies with an area concentration in Latin America. When Tatiana first came to campus, the SSS program helped her to buy and borrow textbooks that she needed. Also, the program-sponsored workshops helped her to meet many new people and develop a sense of self, along with other first-generation college students. Tatiana studied abroad in Costa Rica during fall 2011. She said “The SSS program gave me the confidence I needed to go abroad and learn about a new culture. I have a Hispanic background, but I never really had any classes. . . I was really encouraged and motivated in the program. It helped me get into the Yucatan program with Dr. Guthrie.” After graduation, Tatiana wants to work at an American embassy outside of the country, because she was inspired by a woman who worked at an embassy in Costa Rica. The woman taught everyone how to stay safe, not to carry their passports everywhere, among other lessons. Tatiana wants to continue to travel and will do so very soon. This summer, after graduation, she will go to Bolivia and conduct a research study on how certain types of tea affect the diets of the locals. Tatiana did not start college until 2-3 years after graduating high school. She advised that it is never too late to do what you want and to “take advantage of what the program offers you. Don’t get lazy. Go ask for help!”

Tatiana Sandoval graduates this

Spring with a dual major in Spanish and International

Studies.

Alumna Jenna Ewing: After Graduation

Congrats to the SSS Spring and Summer 2013 Grads!

Successful former student and SSS peer mentor Jenna Ewing

can’t help but be excited about her new internship at Johns Hopkins Hospital in

Baltimore, Maryland!

Jenna Ewing was a three-year peer mentor for the SSS program. She is currently attending graduate school at Towson University in Towson, MD. She received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at LHU. Jenna is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology. She will intern at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore and have the opportunity to work with children who have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Tourette's Syndrome, and/or ADHD. Jenna will also be able to do clinical work one-on-one with children who are suffering from OCD and study the effects of certain medications on them and their disorder. The SSS program helped Jenna gain the knowledge she needed for first-year success in college and beyond. Writing tips, time with her professors, and internship advice are among the many resources SSS offered Jenna to help her succeed. She learned it is always important to ask for help when needed, an aspect crucial to succeed. Jenna commented, “I can honestly say that I've never had an experience where somebody in the SSS didn't make me feel like a top priority when I needed it.”

Senior Spotlight: Tatiana Sandoval By: Laila Longer

By: Laila Longer

P A G E 7 V O L U M E 6 , I S S U E 2

Carroll Rhodes . . . As a graduate of LHU, Carroll feels a great sense of

satisfaction working with the TRiO students in SSS. Even though many years have passed since her freshman year in Russell Hall, it has been possible for her to maintain a perspective of what it is like to experience the major transition to

higher education. Carroll has been a faculty member here since 2001. Her first assignment was as Director of the Upward Bound program. She moved to the SSS program in January 2010. Both programs originated in the Kennedy/Johnson administration years. Carroll considers herself to be a product of that era as well. She feels very fortunate to hold positions that are steeped in decades of devotion to what President Lyndon Johnson called the “fulfillment of the individual.” In President Johnson’s Message to Congress on February 28, 1967, on Education and Health in America, he conveyed his deeper description about fulfillment. “If that is what we seek, mere wealth and power cannot help us. We must also act – in definable and practical ways–to liberate each individual from conditions which stunt his growth, assault his dignity, diminish his spirit. Those enemies we know: ignorance, want, squalor, tyranny, injustice.” Carroll has been active in the Lock Haven community for over 30 years. She was a founder and the first Executive Director of the Clinton County Women’s Center. She has served on various economic development boards for the City of Lock Haven, currently as Chair of the City’s Revolving Loan Fund. Carroll has also been performing music professionally with The Sirens since 1984. With her band, Carroll participates in many fund raising events, including scholarship events that benefit LHU.

LHU’s SSS/TRiO staff members are, from left, secretary Judy Robb, director Carroll Rhodes,

and writing specialist Julie Story.

Julie Story . . . For 27 years, Julie Story has been teaching writing, directing writing

centers, and mentoring students in higher education. She believes, “Communication, collaboration, and leadership skills are essential for students’ success at LHU, on the job, and in life.” An alumna of LHU, Julie returned to campus in 2003 after 17 years of teaching at Penn State to serve as SSS Writing Specialist, providing students with individual writing consultations and writing workshops. She also teaches the SSS Writing Emphasis-designated First Year Student Seminar, facilitates an External Experience for students to produce the SSS Newsletter, and advises Exploratory Studies students. Julie participates in professional writing center organizations and is completing her doctorate in Educational Leadership with a specialization in Curriculum and Instruction. If she can help to improve students’ educational experiences, her degree will be well worth it. Julie also supports several scholarships to benefit underrepresented students at LHU.

Judy Robb . . . Judy came to LHU in March 1991 as the

SSS secretary following 15 years at the Lock Haven YMCA. She graduated from Lock Haven High School before attending Indiana State College and Lock Haven State College. Judy has three children, two grandchildren, and her husband is a retired elementary school teacher and wrestling coach. She loves sewing and quilting, reading books by mystery writer Mary Higgins Clark, and taking walks along the Lock Haven dike. She is someone who can keep students “in the know” with her take on Lock Haven’s beautiful surroundings, outdoor activities, and many restaurants. Judy has made many close connections with students, many of whom keep in touch, and she is the first point of contact for SSS with a “Hello! How can I help?”

P A G E 8

S T U D E N T S U P P O R T S E R V I C E S

**The SSS Newsletter is produced through an External Experience designed and facilitated by Julie Story, Writing Specialist,

Student Support Services, Department of Academic Development & Counseling. Students studying English, writing, editing,

communications, document design, and/or public relations gain EE units and practical learning experiences outside of the

classroom serving as editors and writers.

Kayla Austin is a freshman majoring in Communications. She is from Mercer,

Pennsylvania, a rural town nearly on the border of Ohio. On campus, she is a

freshman video blogger whose videos can be found on the LHU YouTube

account. Additionally, Kayla is part of the University Marching Band’s Color

Guard, Christian Student Fellowship, Student Support Services (SSS), and is the

Vice President of her residence hall through the Residence Hall Association

(RHA). Along with writing and jamming to her favorite musical artist Taylor

Swift, some of her hobbies and interests include spending time with her family,

playing baseball and supporting her favorite professional MLB team, the

Pittsburgh Pirates. She is employed as a mascot at Forever Broadcasting for the

country radio station Froggy.

Laila Longer is a sophomore majoring in International Studies and minoring

in English. She comes from Middleburg, a small town located in Snyder

County at the heart of Pennsylvania. Most often, Laila can be found lingering

around the international office in Akeley Hall, or waiting to be left into

Woolridge for the weekly ISA meetings. She is, in fact, the treasurer of the

ISA and the secretary of the LHU poetry performance group, Lyrically

Speaking. Laila is also a student worker in the LHU mailroom. She hopes to

work in the publishing business one day and become fluent in Japanese. Laila’s

favorite hobbies include reading and writing novels, poetry and short stories,

hunting and fishing, and nerdy pastimes like watching Japanese animation and

reading Japanese comics.

Student Support Services is funded by a grant from the United States Department of Education in the amount of $284,753.

It is supported by additional funding and services from Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania. Lock Haven University of

Pennsylvania is firm in its resolve that equal employment and educational opportunity shall be accorded to all qualified

individuals without creed, disability, lifestyle, affectional or sexual preference, national origin, ancestry, union membership,

age, sex, or status as a Vietnam-era veteran. The ultimate objective of this policy is the abolition of practices which tend,

inadvertently or otherwise, to discriminate against women and minorities.