Author: Behrend Blog

ASB 2018 – Texas – Day 4

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Twenty-four students and four advisers from Penn State Behrend are participating in an Alternative Spring Break service trip to Beaumont, Texas. The group will be helping residents recover from the catastrophic flooding that occurred as a result of Hurricane Harvey, which hit the greater Houston area in August of 2017, causing at least $125 billion in damages and claiming 108 lives. Behrend’s ASB group is being joined by five other Penn State campuses, including Greater Allegheny, Harrisburg, Scranton, University Park, and York.

By Heather Cass

Publications Manager, Office of Strategic Communication, and 2018 ASB participant

One of the things the ASB Trip leaders continually stress to participants is to leave their expectations at home.  In other words, if you don’t expect things to be a certain way, you won’t be dissapointed. Be open to anything and go with the flow.

It is solid advice for ASB where so many factors are out of your control and things never go quite the way you think they should.

Job roulette

Each morning, we meet at the Operation Project Blessings trailer for a brief orientation before receiving our day’s assignments. The woman who doles out the jobs, stands at a table with a stack of orange folders. Inside each folder is a work order and a few instructions.

When you step up to the table, you get the next folder on the stack. Like spinning a roulette wheel, you hope for the best (a job that suits the talents and taste of your crew).

Some groups, such as Chris Fox’s crew, who were placed on larger jobs, elect to go back and continue work on those jobs, so they don’t change assignments every day but will stay at their job until it’s done, or they request a new one.

Crew roulette

Fox’s crewmembers do change as do mine and Chris Harben’s and Will Taylor’s. ASB student trip leaders came up with a great way to be sure everyone gets to know everyone on the trip by randomly assigning different students to different vans/advisers and therefore, crews, each day.

Each van/adviser has one or two ASB trip leaders who stay with that van all week. They are responsible for navigating, sparking or leading conversation among the van, and also the radio (this is a very important–and fun– part of traveling with college students, by the way).

Aside from the trip leader(s) and the driver, the other students in the van change from day to day so that everyone gets to know and/or work with everyone. It’s an ingenious strategy because if we all stayed with the same six people all week, we’d get to know all of them really well, but not the other sixteen students on the trip.

My navigators are Kris Knorr, a Finance major, and Ashley Jankowski, an Industrial Engineering major. They’re both a lot of fun and I’m grateful to have someone telling me what turns to make, even if I continually make them wrong.  It’s cool…we just go with the flow (of traffic), let the GPS recalculate, and get back on course.

Yesterday, our crew was almost all new to me, which is to say that I had not had them in my van before. It’s always a little awkward, at first, as everyone gets to know everyone. And, here’s the cool thing about ASB: after eight hours in together driving, working, laughing, taking turns picking songs to play, and eating lunch together, we all left the van as friends, bonded over shared experiences.

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There were at least three times yesterday that I laughed so hard I cried.

The first was when we received our assignment — to remove debris from a woman’s yard as well as a hot water heater, two toilets, and a shower from her home. Kris and I just stared wide-eyed at one another, knowing that none of us in the van has any experience with plumbing or shutting off water/power. Dumbstruck, we stumbled over to the tool shed to pick up our bucket ‘o tools.

After reviewing our order, the woman told us we’d also need some plumbing tools. I quipped to Kris, “And a plumber.”

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“You must do, what you think you cannot”

But, remember what I said about no expectations and going with the flow? We took our tools and cooler full of water and lunches and headed for the jobsite to see what we could do.

Her home had the telltale slash of red paint on the front door, a sad reminder of the tragedy of Hurricane Harvey. These red stripes were painted on doors to indicate that the home had been checked for people/bodies after the flood.

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Like most who are still dealing with flood damage in their homes, she was not living on site, so she met us there.  Also like every flood victim we have spoke to, she teared up when we asked “How are you holding up?” Her home had stood for about three weeks in three feet of water.

First, we cleaned off the debris on her front porch, lugging heavy bags of trash, building materials, waterlogged suitcases, filing cabinets, and more out to the road. The good news was that her son had already repaired one toilet and the hot water heater, so those things didn’t need removed. That left a toilet and a shower that had to go.

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After some investigating, we figured out how to turn her water off, and were able to remove one of the toilets. But, the shower was beyond our capabilities as it required someone with construction skills and a power saw to cut it from the walls.  (Someone with those skills and tools from Community Collaborations International did go back and do it that day for her.)

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At 11 a.m., we had done all we could at this woman’s house, so we called in to Operation Blessings HQ for a new assignment.  They sent us to a home five minutes away to help a single mother, Darla, move her possessions from a storage facility to her trailer.

This involved six or seven trips back and forth, filling Darla’s father’s truck, carrying them into her trailer, then heading back again.

There were mishaps. The kind that occur when you use volunteer movers and a short-bed truck. On the first trip the locker, the dolly rolled right out of the back of the truck and onto the highway. One of our crew members rescued it. Then, we had to figure out how to fit it into our van. We laughed most of the short way to the storage trailer.

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Later, a California King size mattress flipped off the truck and into the same road. We wrestled it back into the truck and strapped it down better that time. There were also some adventures with plastic snakes, swords, and moldy furniture, but this blog post is already too long. Suffice to say, we laughed a lot.

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We returned to the church at 4 p.m. to shower and catch up with the other teams and hear about their day:

  • Chris Fox’s team continued work on a single mother’s home that was in need of major cleanup/debris removal. Fox thinks they will be there all week.
  • Chris Harben’s group worked removing floors, trim, and more on a single mother’s home.
  • Will Taylor’s crew spent the day at a local food bank, where they did some general office work and packed more than 200 boxes of food.

What does today — Wednesday — hold for us? Who knows. But, whatever it is, I’m sure it will be fine. And, probably quite fun, too.

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ASB 2018 – Texas – Day 3

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Twenty-four students and four advisers from Penn State Behrend are participating in an Alternative Spring Break service trip to Beaumont, Texas. The group will be helping residents recover from the catastrophic flooding that occurred as a result of Hurricane Harvey, which hit the greater Houston area in August of 2017, causing at least $125 billion in damages and claiming 108 lives. Behrend’s ASB group is being joined by five other Penn State campuses, including Greater Allegheny, Harrisburg, Scranton, University Park, and York.

By Heather Cass

Publications Manager, Office of Strategic Communication, and 2018 ASB participant

me

The worst part of the work today? Breathing through this barrier.

Day 3 – Work Day #1

We were all eager to get our assignments and get to work this morning and were among the first in the long line for breakfast. (Did I mention there are about 200 workers here now?).

On the morning menu was biscuits with sausage gravy and yogurt/fruit/granola parfaits for the non-meat option. Our meals are all cooked and served by members of a local Mennonite church and they are delish. The men cook most of the meat on a giant portable grill outdoors.

In the morning, they also set out tables full of lunch and sandwich items and each volunteer packs their own brown bag lunch.

Community Collaborations International, the company Penn State Behrend uses to coordinate it’s annual ASB trips, is working with another organization — Operation Blessing International — that had set up shop in Houston shortly after the storm happened last fall.

The company requires workers to wear Operational Blessing shirts so that residents can easily identify them. So we all changed into our white Operational Blessings shirts before meeting outdoors for an orientation meeting.

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After receiving our assignments, picking up our First Aid kit, tool bucket, cooler full of water, and quilts — one queen size and one child size — made by members of the Mennonite community to be delivered to every home we visit, we set off in different directions.

With four vans and advisers, Behrend had four groups of six to seven people to travel to different jobsites.

My crew worked at a home in a neighboring township about 15 minutes away from the church. Ours was a single-story home that belonged to an 80+ year old woman who was currently living in an R.V. behind her home, which had been completely underwater after the flood and had 5-foot deep standing water for about a month.

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The home had been cleared of debris and all the drywall was down. Half of the home had new plywood flooring and the other half of the home needed the floors pried up so that new wood could be put down. Tearing up the floors was our job.

It was hard, sweaty, and dirty work made slightly harder by the humidity, lack of light in the house, and annoying, but necessary safety gear (masks, safety glasses). By the time our workday was over at 4 p.m., we had removed the entire subfloor in one room and had taken the first couple layers (there are layers of flooring) off in the two other rooms.

The homeowner’s daughter stopped by a couple of times to chat with us and tell us about her family, Texas, and the flood. Interacting with the residents as we work is not only expected, but encouraged. Operation Blessings says that, for some, we are the first ones to show up and give them a glimmer of hope. They told us to listen and ask not “How are you?” (because we’re all conditioned to automatically respond “good”), but “How are you holding up?”

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I can’t imagine answering that question six months after a disaster. Many of the houses that we passed on our way to our jobsite had RVs in front of waterlogged houses and bags of debris and rotten lumber in the yard.

When I got my first look at the house we were working on, I was sad and overwhelmed. The enormity and volume of the work to be done — a half a year after the disaster — was disheartening. And our resident was one of many.

The other Penn State Behrend teams had different, but similar experiences:

  • Chris Fox’s team went to a home only to find the homeowner had had a stroke two days before, so they were reassigned to help a young mother with a severely disabled son clean her house out.
  • Chris Harben’s team demolished a bathroom in one home. Then, they canvassed the neighborhood, talking with residents to see if they had projects they wanted Operation Blessings to help them with.
  • Will Taylor’s team worked on a home, removing walls, insulation, and debris.

We all returned filthy and hungry and hit the showers and dinner line, in that order. Personally, I cared more about shower than dinner.

After dinner, my crew made a Walmart run for supplies, including a cake for Chris Fox who had a birthday yesterday.

Then, more meetings and evening reflections (more about that tomorrow).

Today, Tuesday morning, some of us will receive new assignments, others will continue the work they were doing yesterday.

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Standout Seniors: Meet Ahmed Ali

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By Heather Cass
Publications Manager, Office of Strategic Communications,  Penn State Behrend

Penn State Behrend’s class of 2018 is ready to make its mark on the world!  We’re proud of our students and the things they’ve accomplished and learned while here at Behrend. Over the next couple months, we’ll be introducing you to a few of our remarkable seniors who have overcome challenges, pioneered new technology, participated in important research projects, and left an impression at Penn State Behrend.

Today, we’d like you to meet Ahmed Ali:

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Ahmed with his 3D printed self portraits

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Minor: Project and Supply Chain Management

Hometown: Baghdad, Iraq.

Scholarships: I have received the Frank S. Palkovic scholarship for the past three years, which gave me a chance to pursue my dreams. I’m grateful that there are people out there who care about other people and want to help them achieve their goals and dreams without even knowing them. I hope one day I can give back and help others.

On choosing to major in Mechanical Engineering: I felt it was a broad discipline with distinguished career opportunities.

Proudest accomplishment at Behrend: I was chosen to speak at the scholarship luncheon, which I felt was a great honor.

Campus involvement: I was involved in the soccer club and I earned my SCUBA diving certification by taking a class at Behrend.

On cloning himself: I designed and 3D printed a bobble head of myself.

How he defines the good life: Living in safety, having my family near me, and having food on the table every day.

What you would be surprised to know about him: My family moved here from Iraq and I learned English and started college just five months after arriving in the United States.

After his graduation in May, Ahmed plans to begin his career in engineering and work for a few years before returning to school to earn a master’s degree. He hopes to be a college professor someday.

 

ASB 2018 – Texas – Day 2

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Twenty-four students and four advisers from Penn State Behrend are participating in an Alternative Spring Break service trip to Beaumont, Texas. The group will be helping residents recover from the catastrophic flooding that occurred as a result of Hurricane Harvey, which hit the greater Houston area in August of 2017, causing at least $125 billion in damages and claiming 108 lives. Behrend’s ASB group is being joined by five other Penn State campuses, including Greater Allegheny, Harrisburg, Scranton, University Park, and York.

By Heather Cass

Publications Manager, Office of Strategic Communication, and 2018 ASB participant

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Day 2 – Cultural Day

It seems weird to start a week of service with a vacation day, but that’s how it works best with the schedule, so Sunday was our day to learn more about the area and explore Houston.But, first, a shower.
Here is where we shower:

These are shower trailers. Each contains five to six showers, there are three trailers total, split evenly among men and women.
As I showered, I marveled at the engineering and ingenuity involved in a mobile showering unit that I’m sure is a relief in any disaster situation. (Who doesn’t love a good shower?)
The cots that we are sleeping on and the trailers that we are showering in are the same as those used in disaster relief efforts. The difference, of course, is that we have all our possessions (the stuff we could fit in a suitcase under 50 lbs.) and intact homes to return to.
Our situation is temporary. For victims of Hurricane Harvey, though, the disaster continues.
The shower trailers, cots, crowded conditions (nearly 200), and food lines are a good remind of the reason we are here.
Today (Monday), we’ll get a first look at what is left to do and how we can help.
Ah….but, back to our day off.
First stop for the Behrend ASB group was the NASA Johnson Space Center, so the engineering students could geek out and the rest of us could be seriously awed by the history and future of space travel.
More than a few times I found myself standing with a member of our group, slack-jawed at the technology, flight memorabilia, and accomplishments of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) since it was established by the United States government in 1958.
NASA occupies 1,620 acres southeast of downtown Houston, in the Clear Lake area of Texas, and employs 3,200 people, more than a few of them are Penn State Behrend, including flight director Mary Lawrence ’01, a mechanical engineering major.
Among the cool things we saw was how NASA viewed Hurricane Harvey from the International Space Station:

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After spending about three hours at the space museum, we had lunch at a waterfront buffet and wandered around the wharf for a bit before journeying to downtown Houston to have a look at the city.

After a late dinner at a local Tex-Mex restaurant, we headed back to the church and our cots to prepare for our first day of work on hurricane cleanup.
We don’t know where we are going or what we are doing (We’ll learn that after breakfast), but we’re sure it will be both hard and rewarding work.

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ASB 2018 – Texas – Day 1

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Twenty-four students and four advisers from Penn State Behrend are participating in an Alternative Spring Break service trip to Beaumont, Texas. The group will be helping residents recover from the catastrophic flooding that occurred as a result of Hurricane Harvey, which hit the greater Houston area in August of 2017, causing at least $125 billion in damages and claiming 108 lives. Behrend’s ASB group is being joined by five other Penn State campuses, including Greater Allegheny, Harrisburg, Scranton, University Park, and York.

By Heather Cass

Publications Manager, Office of Strategic Communication, and 2018 ASB participant

Day 1 – Travel Day

Most of the students attending this year’s ASB trip met at Reed Wintergarden at 2:30 a.m. to catch a 3 a.m. charter bus to the Pittsburgh airport for a 7:30 a.m. flight to Houston.

We arrived in Houston at 9:30 a.m. (Texas is an hour behind Erie time) and after a few hours at the rental car company (don’t ask), we all headed to Whataburger for lunch.

We had some time before we needed to be at our volunteer location, so the group headed for a local flea market to take in the local culture and enjoy a few churros.

After a few hours at the flea market, we headed to our “home” for the week, Cathedral Church, in Beaumont, Texas.

Those who have been on past ASB trips, say the accommodations are plush compared to previous trips. All of the Behrend women are in one room on cots (think summer camp) and the men are in another building. There are shower trailers outdoors and a tent for outdoor dining when the larger Penn State contingency arrives in the next two days.

After dinner provided by the church members and an orientation meeting, the group did a Walmart run to stock up on hard-to-pack items like pillows and blankets.

Lights out is at 10:30 p.m., which is fine by me as I’ve been up nearly 24 hours now, and we have to be up early for breakfast at 7:15 a.m.

Tomorrow is our cultural day and we have an 11 a.m. tour scheduled at NASA’s Houston Space Center.

Monday, we get to work!

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Students Will Spend Spring Break Aiding in Hurricane Cleanup

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By Heather Cass

Publications Manager, Penn State Behrend

When Hurricane Harvey blew into Houston, Texas, in August of 2017, it altered everything in its path, causing at least $125 billion in damages and claiming 108 lives.

More than 1,350 miles away, Harvey continued to effect change, motivating those planning Penn State Behrend’s Alternative Spring Break service trip to veer off course.

“We had spent all summer looking for a trip that would focus on homelessness, but once Harvey happened, we felt that the need for volunteers would be more prevalent in the south,” said Elizabeth Mamros, a senior Mechanical Engineering major and president of Reality Check, the service club that orchestrates Alternative Spring Break each year.

“We got in touch with Community Collaborations International, a company that coordinates experiential education projects, and they already had people there assessing the volunteer situation and potential projects for spring break,” Mamros said.

Twenty-four students and four advisers will be leaving Behrend early Saturday morning to spend a week working in Beaumont, Texas.

“I think students are going to be surprised at the disarray that still exists six months after the hurricane. Most people have forgotten about it or assume it’s all cleaned up by now,” said Chis Fox, assistant director of civic engagement and the Smith Chapel. “But there’s still plenty of work to be done, especially in less populated and less affluent areas.

The Behrend group will be joined by students and advisers from other Penn State campuses, including Greater Allegheny, Harrisburg, Scranton, University Park, and York. In total, 100 Penn Staters are expected to be in Beaumont next week, helping residents recover from the catastrophic flooding that occurred as a result of Hurricane Harvey.

Teams of students will be dispatched to various sites around Beaumont to work on projects ranging from mucking out and gutting flooded homes to cleaning and reconstruction.

Groups will stay in the Community Collaborations International Volunteer Facility, and sleep in a gym or classrooms with men and women in separate quarters. Volunteers will work, rain or shine, and time will be spent each evening reflecting on the work of the day.

Penn State Behrend students attending are: Emily Archer, Hannah Carlino, Seth Cowen, Safinaz Elhadary, Joshua Hecht, Janelle Housler, Ashley Jankowski, Ashlyn Kelly, Kris Knorr, Nicole Kuhn, Kaitlyn Lacey, Max Magera, Celeste Makay, Liz Mamros, Kelly Miller, Angelica Miller, Katie Murphy, Priya Patel, Pearl Patterson, Brianna Riley, Gretchen Shaffer, Alex Sienerth, Lidong (Thomas) Wang, and Danielle Wieczorek.

The four staff members who volunteered to accompany the students are: me — Heather Cass, publications manager in the Office of Strategic Communication; Chis Fox, assistant director of civic engagement and the Smith Chapel; Chris Harben, assistant teaching professor of management; and Will Taylor, an Americorps VISTA intern at Penn State Behrend.

Behrend’s ASB group have been preparing for the trip by discussing the disaster in Texas and relief efforts, participating in safety and basic maintenance workshops, and watching Trouble the Water, a documentary about the devastating flooding that occurred in New Orleans’ 9th Ward after Hurricane Katrina. They have also been taking part in ice breakers and other activities to get to know one other better.

Check back here….or follow this blog (click on the “follow” button in the lower right hand side of your screen)…to see updates from Texas all next week.

Note: If you wish to support the students efforts in Texas with a donation to the Alternative Spring Break Program, contact Kathryn Buesink, assistant director of development, at klb44@psu.edu.

Finance students rub elbows with 3,000 professionals at industry conference

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By Heather Cass

Publications Manager, Penn State Behrend

Penn State Behrend Finance majors Paige Espenshade and Jared Orr recently attended TD Ameritrade Institutional’s National LINC conference in Orlando, Florida, where they were able to get an insider’s view of their chosen field of study.

Espenshade and Orr, who were accompanied by Eric Robbins, lecturer in finance, were two of fifty-six financial planning students from twenty-eight colleges and universities who attended the annual conference in late January.

While there, they had the opportunity to explore job opportunities and connect with more than 3,000 financial advisors and other financial services industry professionals and experts from across the nation.

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Finance students Jared Orr and Paige Espenshade are flanked by TD Ameritrade Institutional President Tom Nally, left, and Kate Kealy, managing director of TD Ameritrade’s Generation Next Program. LILA PHOTO for TD Ameritrade Institutional.

TD Ameritrade is a leading provider of brokerage custody, technology and practice management services for more than 6,000 independent registered investment advisors (RIAs). Since 2007, the firm has been inviting undergraduate financial planning students and their program directors from schools across the U.S. to attend its annual conference, covering travel and hotel expenses for them to do so.

Being Penn State students, Espenshade and Orr garnered special attention from some alumni in the finance industry.

“I was very honored to be actively sought out by alumni and advisors looking to talk specifically with Penn State students,” Espenshade said. “I spoke to an alumnus with an alternative investment firm as well as one with a firm in North Carolina. Altogether, I exchanged contact information with about ten advisors and five vendors.”

At this year’s conference, students attended feature sessions by Ian Bremmer, president, Eurasia Group; Viola Davis, award-winning actress of film, television and theater; Marc Goodman, New York Times best-selling author of Future Crimes;  April Rinne, advisor, Pathfinder, and member of the World Economic Forum; and Jeremy Siegel, the “Wizard of Wharton” Wharton School finance professor.

They also heard about the convergence of financial services and technology from a keynote panel on innovation that included Adena Friedman, president of CEO, Nasdaq; Tim Hockey, president and CEO, TD Ameritrade; Ric Edelman, executive chairman, Edelman Financial Services; and Lex Sokolin, director of fintech strategy, Autonomous.

“Throughout the week I was able to learn about the role of wholesalers, which is a division of the industry that I had never been exposed to,” Orr said. “I now understand the importance of this niche and have a greater understanding of the financial services industry as a whole.”

The students also participated in smaller breakout sessions and panel discussions on investing and evolving as a financial advisor, and attended networking events with advisors and leaders of our firm, including Tom Nally, president of TD Ameritrade Institutional, and Kate Healy, TD Ameritrade’s managing director, Generation Next.

Both Espenshade and Orr say the trip exceeded their expectations.

“It was an amazing event that has had a positive impact on my both my professional network and my awareness of the financial services industry as a whole,” Espenshade said.

“It was a transformative experience,” Orr said. “I now have a better understanding of the different roles within the Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) industry,” Orr said. “The conference exposed me to several aspects of the industry, and because of this, I was able to see what a great community RIAs across the country have created. I hope to attend the conference one day as an RIA so that I, too, can give back to the students as the advisors did for me this year.”

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Holiday gift ideas from Behrend faculty and staff members

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By Steve Orbanek
Marketing Communications Specialist, Penn State Behrend

It’s crunch time. The holidays are nearly here and there’s only so much time left to grab the perfect gift.

Still need some help? No worries, Penn State Behrend’s faculty and staff members are here for you.

Here are some suggestions for gifts that are both fun and educational:

Idea provided by Tom Noyes, professor of English and Creative Writing

2018 Pushcart Prize XLII. The annual Pushcart Prize anthology gathers the best fiction, nonfiction and poetry published in America’s literary magazines and small presses over the course of the previous year, making it an ideal gift for any book lover on your list. The newest edition, 2018 Pushcart Prize XLII, contains a special treat. The poem “Praying Mantis in My Husband’s Salad” by Laura Kasischke was chosen from the pages of Lake Effect, Penn State Behrend’s award-winning literary journal. $13

Idea provided by Mary-Ellen Madigan, director of enrollment management

BRIXO. Enjoy LEGOs? Then you’ll love BRIXO, which is similar but with even more customization. Some of the things that young people can create include vehicles, wacky lamps, remote-controlled lighthouses and motorized quadcopters. If someone on your list has a big imagination, this gift is for them. Prices vary.

Ideas provided by Tracy Halmi, assistant teaching professor of chemistry

Bath Bombs. It’s a chance to bring chemistry to the tub. Bath bombs are hard-packed mixtures of dry ingredients and give off bubbles when wet. They can be purchased from the web, or young chemists can use this Bath Bombs guide to make their own. $19

Amigurumi Chemistry Set Pattern. This crochet chemistry set pattern is perfect for the person on your list who is crafty but loves science, too. $14

Organic Compounds Cutting Board. Know someone who likes to cook with spices? This cutting board displays all the molecules that add the fragrance to spices. $38.50

Reactions: An Illustrated Exploration of Elements, Molecules, and Change in the Universe. The third and final installment in the trilogy of visual books developed by Theodore Gray, this book details chemical reactions with a set of stunning pictures and stories. $30

Ideas provided by Richard Zhao, assistant professor of computer science and software engineering

Amazon Echo Dot or Google Home Mini. Who wouldn’t want a personal assistant that can tell the weather, order pizza, play music, control home appliances and more? These home automation gadgets from Amazon or Google are also on sale this holiday season. $30

Themed Night Lights. While this makes a nice holiday gift, the lights can actually be used as a home decoration all year round. Prices vary.

Catan. Able to be played by up to four players, this popular board game can be enjoyed by both family members and friends. It’s also easy to learn and fun to play. $49

Secret Lives of Faculty — Dr. Chris Harben, musical/stage star

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By Heather Cass

Publications Manager, Penn State Behrend

There’s much more to Penn State Behrend’s faculty and staff members than what you see on campus. In this occasional series, we’ll take a look at some of the interesting, unconventional, and inspiring things that members of our Behrend community do in their free time.

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Photo courtesy of Erie Playhouse (Credit: Julie Lokahi/ DV8 Photography)

Lecturing can be viewed as form of performance art. Faculty members take center stage, staring in their own daily productions to keep students engaged in the subject matter.

“Performing is what I do in front of the classroom all the time,” said Dr. Chris Harben, assistant teaching professor of management.

It’s also what he does in his free time.

Shortly after accepting a teaching position at Behrend this summer, Harben landed a lead role in the Erie Playhouse’s production of Annie: Harben plays Daddy Warbucks, orphan Annie’s wealthy savior, in the show which is onstage at the playhouse this month.

Harben as Daddy Warbucks

Photo courtesy of Erie Playhouse (Credit: Julie Lokahi/ DV8 Photography)

“During the interview process at Behrend, I learned that Dr. Greg Filbeck (director of the Black School of Business) was a board member at the Erie Playhouse,” Harben said. “I looked at the playhouse’s website and saw they were going to be doing Annie. This was around June when I was currently in rehearsals as Daddy Warbucks at a theater in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, so I thought it was fortuitous!”

Harben, who was a faculty member at Bowling Green State University, nailed both of his “auditions,” and was offered a position at the Black School of Business and a starring role at the Erie Playhouse.

We caught up with Harben to learn more about his love of musicals, his role as Daddy Warbucks, his unusual part-time job, and why he’s been making it a priority to start hitting the gym again.

Why did you choose Behrend?

It was really because it had a small school feel with all the benefits of a big state school, such as research opportunities.

How long have you been acting or singing on stage?

I was in a couple of shows in high school, but then didn’t do any stage work until I completed my doctorate a few years ago. I met an actor who had played Valjean from Les Misérables on Broadway and was inspired to get back into it. My first show as an adult was three years ago.

Do you prefer musicals?

Yes. I don’t consider myself a great actor, so I prefer to audition for roles that require a lot of singing.

What has your experience been like so far at the Erie Playhouse?

The playhouse is an incredible Erie asset. I have never performed any place like it. It is closer to professional theater than it is to a community theater. The experience of rehearsing and getting ready has been fairly typical with ups and downs—especially “tech week,” which is always the hardest week as all the technical aspects and bugs are worked out. But, to work on such a great stage with wonderful sets, a full experienced crew, a full-time professional costumer (who is also in the show, starring as Rooster), a director as professional as Kate Neubert-Lechner, and an incredibly talented orchestra, is an amazing thing that makes me smile every time I walk into the theatre.

There are a couple of Penn State Behrend students in Annie, too?

Yes. Anthony Ventura, a senior Political Science major, has multiple roles but I interact with him the most in his role as “Drake” my butler. Jacqueline Dumont, a junior Communication major, is also in the cast and plays several roles as part of the ensemble.

What do you enjoy most about musicals/stage performance?

I love being able to transform into someone else. Many of my roles have been similar in terms of their character, though, so I’d like to try something different soon, perhaps a comedic role. But the very best part of participating in stage shows are the relationships I’ve been able to build with other cast members. I can honestly say that I keep in touch with people from every show I’ve ever been in. Theater really is a small world.

What’s the most challenging aspect of theatre?

Well, there is drama in drama. Also, things happen that force actors out of our comfort zones. For Annie, we didn’t have the rehearsal time we might have liked because the playhouse’s stage was undergoing renovations, which threw the schedule off a bit. But you just have to roll with it. It is part of being in theater. Stuff happens. Sometimes it happens live on stage.

There are real dogs in Annie?

Yes. Two shelters dogs. One is a sweet, docile pitbull from the Northwestern PA Humane Society and the other, Romeo, is a younger mixed breed dog from the A.N.N.A. Shelter. Romeo is a little hyper, but that’s probably to be expected with all the commotion, lights, audience, and cast members on stage.

What’s your favorite musical?

The Phantom of the Opera! It was the first musical I learned to sing. I’d love to play the Phantom some day.

What has been your favorite show/role, so far?

Daddy Warbucks has been my favorite role and Annie my favorite show, but playing Javert in Les Misérables is a very close second.

What’s your dream role?

I already mentioned the Phantom, but on a more realistic note, I’d love to play Dr. Jekyll in Jekyll and Hyde. I have sung “The Confrontation” from that show at a cabaret in Ohio. It is an incredible song in which both Jekyll and Hyde are singing, and it’s the same actor!

What’s next for you on stage?

I’ll be playing King Triton in The LIttle Mermaid at the Academy Theatre in Meadville. We start rehearsing in February and open in April. The director asked me how comfortable I was going shirtless for that role. So, suffice to say, I’m working on getting in shape for that role now.

Switching topics, let’s talk about your work as an Emergency Medical Technician?

Yes. I’ve been an EMT for five years now. I was a volunteer EMT in Ohio while I was working on my doctorate. I’m still trying to get my certification in Pennsylvania, but I hope to do some volunteer work here, too.

Being an EMT is quite a change from the corporate world. What appeals to you about it?

I became an EMT for a couple of reasons. First, my family is full of medical professionals. My dad was an EMT when I was very young. My mom is a nurse. My sister is a cardiovascular perfusionist, and my brother is a physical therapy assistant/athletic trainer. So I grew up around the language and culture of medicine. But, for me, becoming an EMT was more about giving back. I tried joining service clubs like Optimist and the Rotary Club, but I never felt the impact I feel when I show up at someone’s house who really needs help.

It’s also a summer job for you, right?

It is. For the past few years, I’ve been working as an EMT at Cedar Point, which is a large amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. One of the benefits of that job is that I’ve developed a great relationship with the leadership team there. I actually just had the park’s vice president and general manager come to Behrend to speak to one of my classes. I do hope to work there this summer, too. It’s only a couple of hours away from Erie.

Any other hidden talents?

I can play the drums, trumpet, and French horn. I also love photography and owned a photography business for several years. All the art in my office in Burke are photos that I’ve taken.

What words do you live by?

When I was finishing my doctorate, I had the Chinese symbol for perseverance tattooed on my arm. That is a word that I live by.

Annie is on stage at the Erie Playhouse, 13 W. 10th St., through December 31, 2017. Visit erieplayhouse.org for show dates and ticket information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Maryland State of Mind: Staying Social

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Pic for 3rd Blog post (1 of 1)

By Brandon Moten
Senior Communication Major

Hello Penn State Behrend students, faculty, and staff. This is Brandon Moten, and I’m back with another post in my new blog series, “A Maryland State of Mind,” where I share my experience of attending Penn State Behrend as an out-of-state student from Bowie, Maryland. If you’ve missed my previous posts, I have touched on my transition to Erie and coming to Penn State Behrend.

Today’s post is about the challenges I faced as I wanted to stay social and meet friends while getting acclimated to a new environment. Before coming to Behrend, I was hopeful that I would be able to use my social skills to help make great friends and create amazing memories. I’m a very social person, and I knew I would need people to help me get through the transition of being an out-of-state college student. My roommate was assigned to me over the summer, but I was still nervous and anxious about meeting him.

Once August came, all of my fears of being able to make friends were put to rest once I met my roommate Giovanni Carrera. To this day, he is still one of the best friends I met here at Penn State Behrend. Also, I have met so many amazing individuals through him, which also helped me branch out and meet people through my classes, work, and extracurricular activities because my experience with him gave me so much confidence. So many amazing people attend Penn State Behrend, and the campus setup makes it easy to meet friends because you are likely to see them often, whether it’s through Brunos, Dobbins, class, or common areas in the residence halls.

Today, I have many friends and connections that will stay with me for years. I attribute that to Penn State Behrend matching with a roommate that fits my personality. In a few weeks, I will graduate, but I know the friendships I started here will last a lifetime. That’s just another reason why I love this school and the experiences I have enjoyed as an out-of-state student.

Stay tuned for more… WE ARE PENN STATE!