Penn State Behrend’s Class of 2026 is ready to make its mark on the world. We’re proud of our students and all that they have learned and accomplished here at Behrend. Over the next several weeks, we will introduce you to a few of our remarkable seniors who have conducted valuable research, pioneered innovation, overcome challenges, and engaged in college life in a big way.
Today, we’d like you to meet Morgan McQueeney.
Major: Psychology (B.S.)
Hometown: Erie, Pennsylvania
Scholarships: Petersen Family Trustee Scholarship and Ernest E. and Bernice C. Fryer and Family Psychology Scholarship
Why she chose Behrend: I have a long line of family members who attended Penn State Behrend, so I had a lot of love for the campus.
Why she chose her major: I learned about psychology in high school and fell in love with it. I also learned a lot about the field from my mom. She has a Ph.D. in behavioral health.
Proudest accomplishment at Behrend: My work with the Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) club. Specifically, when I worked with my fellow executive board members and schools in the community to create more than 600 holiday cards for veterans and deliver them to the Pennsylvania Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home here in Erie.
Challenges overcome: I’ve had to overcome my shyness and social anxiety. I’m thankful I’ve had such a great community that helped me come out of my shell.
Campus involvement: Lion Entertainment Board, Random Acts of Kindness, Alpha Phi Omega
What you’d be surprised to know about her: I love comic books and botanical Legos.
Advice for first-year students: There are so many clubs and opportunities available at Behrend. Don’t be afraid to get out there and try something new.
After her graduation in May, Morgan plans to work full time in the field of psychology in the Erie area before pursuing a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology.
Penn State Behrend’s Class of 2026 is ready to make its mark on the world. We’re proud of our students and all that they have learned and accomplished here at Behrend. Over the next several weeks, we will introduce you to a few of our remarkable seniors who have conducted valuable research, pioneered innovation, overcome challenges, and engaged in college life in a big way.
Today, we’d like you to meet Chloe Heeter.
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Erie
Scholarships: Joseph A. and Berit I.Benacci Family Scholarship and a Pennsylvania Ready to Succeed Scholarship
Why she chose Behrend: It is a smaller school where I could build relationships with my professors and meet with them when I needed help. It’s also a strong engineering school and was close to home for me.
Why she chose her major: I’ve always loved math and science and enjoy solving problems. I also love fixing things, altering them to better meet my needs, or building things from scratch.
Proudest accomplishment at Behrend: Graduating. When I started college, I hated it and wanted to drop out. I’ve come a long way since then and have grown to genuinely enjoy college.
Awards: Dean’s List, several semesters
Advice for first-year students: Talk to as many people as you can when you first start and find a good group of friends in your major. Also, try out multiple clubs and see what fits you best because it might even help you decide what you want to do once you graduate.
Penn State Behrend’s Class of 2026 is ready to make its mark on the world. We’re proud of our students and all that they have learned and accomplished here at Behrend. Over the next several weeks, we will introduce you to a few of our remarkable seniors who have conducted valuable research, pioneered innovation, overcome challenges, and engaged in college life in a big way.
Today, we’d like you to meet Brooke Korb.
Major: Biology
Minor: Politics and Government
Hometown: Erie, Pennsylvania
Scholarships: PNC Leadership Scholarship and Chancellor’s Scholarship
Awards and accolades: ATHENA Young Professional Award finalist, Aaron Meehl Biology Award (Outstanding Rising Senior), Christopher M. Geitner Award, Guy W. Wilson Award for Service to the College, Most Outstanding Student Organization Member, and President Walker Award.
Why she chose Behrend: I was fortunate to visit Behrend often in middle school and high school. A few of my family members are also Penn State alumni. With every experience I had on campus, I was exposed to great people and engaging lectures. It also stood out to me that Behrend was a smaller campus, meaning I could get to know my professors and classmates very well.
Why she chose her major: I love science and wanted to learn how I could apply it to help others in need, especially in the public health sector. I’m deeply interested in the intersection of science and social issues. The biology coursework at Behrend was flexible in letting me explore this interest.
Proudest accomplishment at Behrend: During my first year on campus, I participated in my first Alternative Spring Break trip to Fort Myers, Florida. We helped with disaster relief efforts after Hurricane Ian. It was an eye-opening, emotional experience that deeply impacted me as a person. I loved serving alongside other Behrend students and connecting with them at this level. I was an ASB student leader for three more trips. It has been a transformative experience for me.
Campus involvement: Alternative Spring Break, Lion Ambassadors, Science Ambassadors, Lion Scouts, Women’s Engagement Council, Gender and Sexuality Equality Club, and Random Acts of Kindness.
What you’d be surprised to know about her: During my sophomore-year ASB trip, I volunteered at the El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico. I got to assist with trail maintenance, which included carrying buckets of rocks up and down trails as it rained.
What she’s passionate about: Getting out of my comfort zone. If I hadn’t gotten over my fears or anxieties, my life would have looked a lot different than it does now. We owe it to ourselves to be a little daring from time to time.
Advice for first-year students: College is your time to explore. Nothing is set in stone. You may end up changing your major or anticipated career path, and that’s okay! The most important thing is that you follow your passion and do what makes you happy.
After her graduation in May, Brooke plans to attend Slippery Rock University to pursue a Master of Public Health degree with a concentration in environmental and occupational health.
Alumnus, deputy director of elections in Michigan, to speak at Penn State Behrend Monday
Adam Fracassi-Wier, deputy director of elections for the state of Michigan.
Adam Fracassi-Wier, deputy director of elections at the Michigan Bureau of Elections, will discuss the state of elections and election security when the Speaker Series returns to Penn State Behrend at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 21. His talk, “Facing the Storm: Resilience in Elections after 2020,” will be held in the Metzgar Center. The program is free and open to the public.
Fracassi-Wier graduated from Penn State Behrend in 2012 with Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science, International Studies, and English. He earned his law degree from Michigan State University College of Law in 2014. His career includes serving as Michigan’s assistant attorney general from 2015 to 2018, as an adjunct professor at Michigan State University College of Law, and currently as deputy director of elections at the Michigan Bureau of Elections.
Behrend Blog talked with Fracassi-Wier to learn more about what it’s like to work in elections and election law in an increasingly partisan environment.
What are your biggest challenges right now?
Election administrators across the country are understaffed, underfunded, and under attack. This is the biggest challenge. We have to manage elections and election administration in a hyper-partisan environment that fuels misinformation, all while ensuring the safety of ourselves, our staff, other election officials, and poll workers. I’ve had to add different facets to my job that I never thought I would have to add. For example, I’m no longer just an attorney – I’ve had to add communications and marketing into my daily responsibilities.
What does it feel like to oversee election integrity when so many are distrustful of our elections today?
This is a heavy burden, especially in this era where misinformation and distrust are rampant. Being a nonpartisan civil servant who ensures elections are fair is critical, but it brings risks and requires constant communication and transparency. I take very seriously my responsibility to ensure that every eligible citizen can vote while balancing it against the necessary security checks in the system. It’s hard when something you have dedicated your life to is constantly under threat, and things that you have always done because the law requires it, now are the things making you a target.
How do you fight that disinformation and assure voters that Michigan’s elections are secure?
Transparency and communication are vital. We have had a lot of success going to folks directly with messaging. What I’ve seen in the last four years is that many people are interested in the system but don’t understand it. I have allocated and created new resources in the last several years that are focused on providing educational materials and clearly communicating what we’re doing in advance of doing it. Engaging with voters directly and providing them with accurate information is key to building trust.
I’ve also had a lot of success by coordinating with local officials (clerks, township supervisors, etc.) on the messaging. In many instances, voters will trust their local officials.
The key is just to be a constant source of truth. I’ve been able to build trust with both Democrats and Republicans, voters and elected officials, because I’m consistent in what I do, and the decisions I make are not based on politics.
You secured a $40M budget increase to improve election operations in Michigan. What were you focused on improving?
Voters in 2022 passed a constitutional amendment that dramatically changed elections in Michigan. They implemented early in-person voting, mandated that drop boxes be available in all jurisdictions, and required the state to pay for the return of all absent voter ballots. But this required significant funding for us and the local clerks. I was very fortunate to be able to obtain $40 million to fund the constitutional amendment and the subsequent legislation that passed, but it wasn’t enough to fully fund our office and the local clerks’ offices.
Michigan has more than 1,600 township, city, and county clerks who all have different election roles. We are one of, if not the, most decentralized systems in the country for running elections. More than 900 clerks’ offices are single-precinct jurisdictions that likely have only one staff member—themselves. This is not enough to run elections. When I sought funding, I sought approximately $125 million for our office and the local clerks. Everyone thought I was crazy for asking for that, but I had the numbers to back me up. I obtained $40 million, and we spent it almost immediately, with more than $30 million being allocated to clerks directly. With this money, we were able to fund thirty-five additional staff members at the Bureau of Elections, more than doubling our staff.
Since 2020, clerks have seen the number of ballots being returned by mail more than double. We went from approximately 25 percent voting by mail to approximately 55 percent. The funding allocation allowed us to buy new equipment for clerks to account for this increase and ease processing. This funding also allowed us to build a new pollbook to be used to better detect and prevent double voting during the early voting period, buy equipment for clerks to administer early voting, and fund poll workers for jurisdictions.
What do you wish people knew about the election and election security?
Trust your election administrators. Almost every single election administrator – regardless of party affiliation – administers the election the same. We all believe in upholding the integrity of the election while ensuring that voters can exercise their most fundamental right of casting a ballot. If you have questions about the process or want to know more, contact your election official. Start that dialogue with them in a respectful manner, and you will find that they will engage and help you to the best of their ability.
It’s also important to know that there are backups for everything. Michigan uses paper ballots, as do many other states. Even if you don’t have a paper ballot, there are still backup records to do recounts and audits. All of these are done to verify the accuracy of the results.
After 2020, our office conducted more than 250 audits across the state. The Auditor General audited our office, and the Senate Oversight Committee, led by Republican Senator Ed McBroom, examined everything as well. The audits showed that while there are always improvements to be made, the system worked as it should. We have not seen and do not continue to see massive voter fraud like what is suggested by several candidates.
Is there a better way to handle elections in the U.S.?
Our system is very similar to systems across the world. There are positives and negatives with every system, but I think a “better” way is dependent on the eye of the beholder. What you’re seeing in several states are different methods of electing officeholders that are affecting the policies, starting with redistricting.
Several states—Michigan included—have an independent redistricting commission that draws lines in a nonpartisan manner. In Michigan, this has resulted in a more evenly split legislature. Right now, democrats control both chambers, but only by two seats in each house. If either chamber flips, it would likely only be a two-to-four seat majority for either party. This results in less partisan bills passing in several states.
Additionally, other states have changed from a plurality-based approach to rank choice voting, where voters rank the candidates in order of preference to ensure that whoever wins obtains a majority of support rather than a plurality. Alaska has a system where everyone runs together in the primary and the top four vote earners advance to the general election, regardless of party, to run in a rank choice election.
By Heather Cass, Publications Manager, Penn State Behrend
You could spend Friday night watching Netflix and binging episodes of your favorite comfort show or, you could expand your viewing horizons at Behrend’s weekly International Film Screening Series.
The series, sponsored by Behrend’s Digital Creations Club and BOLD-C (Behrend Open Lab for Digital Creations), will run on Fridays from 7 to 9 p.m. in Reed 117 through November 11. Students, faculty, and staff can enjoy a different film every week and free pizza, too. (Student couples, take note: that’s a free date night!)
International film festivals are more than just celebrations of cinema—they are crucial spaces for artistic expression, cultural exchange, industry growth, and social advocacy. They help cultivate an appreciation for diverse forms of cinema, encouraging audiences to explore films beyond mainstream Hollywood productions.
Sean Martin, a junior Digital Media Arts and Technology major, student manager of BOLD-C, and president of the Digital Creations Club, spearheaded the effort to bring the semester-long series to Behrend. He chose the films from three different streaming services available to the Penn State community, taking care to find a wide variety.
“Students, faculty and staff should come and watch these films because they offer a completely unique and compelling look into a different culture, time, and story from an artistic perspective,” Martin said.
Showing this Friday, October 11, is Battleship Potemkin, a film set “in the midst of the Russian Revolution of 1905 when the crew of the battleship Potemkin mutiny against the brutal, tyrannical regime of the vessel’s officers. The resulting street demonstration in Odessa brings on a police massacre.”
Several more films are planned this semester. Martin said that he is especially looking forward to L’Age D’or on October 25 and All About My Mother on November 1.
By Heather Cass Publications Manager, Office of Strategic Communications, Penn State Behrend
Dr. Peter Grant ’75
As a child growing up on the bluffs overlooking Lake Erie’s Presque Isle Bay, Dr. Peter Grant ’75 delighted in chasing fireflies, plucking cicada exoskeletons from trees, and capturing mayflies that would cling to his family’s Front Street home each summer.
“I remember waking up and seeing that there had been a mayfly hatch the night before and rushing outside to catch them,” he said. “They’re pretty slow, so they were easy to get.”
Little did he know then that those ancient winged insects would become his life’s work.
Grant, who attended Erie’s Cathedral Prep and then Penn State Behrend, where he earned an undergraduate degree in biology, was recently honored for that work with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Committee of the International Conference on Ephemeroptera. Mayflies belong to the order Ephemeroptera.
“I was very surprised,” he said. “I still don’t believe it.”
Currently the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and a professor of biology at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Grant has studied mayflies for nearly four decades. He has compiled an annual bibliography on the insect for the North American Benthological Society (now the Society for Freshwater Science) for twenty-seven years and he founded and served as the editor of The Mayfly Newsletter for twenty-six years.
Over the years, he has provided many producers and authors from news organizations and publications, such as the BBC, National Geographic and The New York Times, with information about mayflies.
An adult mayfly
Getting his feet wet in Walnut Creek
Grant’s education and career has taken him from Pennsylvania to Texas to Florida to South Carolina to Oklahoma, but he still keeps in touch with the Behrend professor who encouraged his first research work. Dr. Ed Masteller, emeritus professor of biology, recruited Grant to participate in a summer research project in Walnut Creek in the summer after his first year at Behrend.
“I mostly did water chemistry work,” he said. “Later, when I was in graduate school in Texas, I actually began to study the mayfly lifecycle.”
Mayflies are part of an ancient group of insects called the Palaeoptera, which includes dragonflies and damselflies. The gossamer-winged, short-lived mayfly has never really held a candle to its zippy, flashy “cousins.”
But they stand out for a few reasons.
“Mayflies are the oldest known winged insect,” Grant said. “The ancestry goes back about 300 million years, further than any currently living group of insects.”
Despite the longevity and variety (there are more than 3,000 species of mayflies), the insect has a brief adult life. Few live more than a day or two as flying insects.
“They don’t even have any functional mouth parts or a digestive system,” Grant said. “They exist in their adult form simply to reproduce.”
Water babies
A mayfly spends the majority of its life, up to a year or more, in its immature nymph stage as an aquatic freshwater insect. They can be found at the bottom of nearly any freshwater source—creeks, rivers, lakes—in still or running water. Turn over a few rocks in the water, and you are likely to find a mayfly on one of them.
They play an important role in the aquatic food chain. The nymphs eat decomposing matter and algae in the water and serve as a food source for more than 200 species of animals, insects, and carnivorous plants.
“The nymphs recycle organically rich material back into the food chain by consuming it and turning it into mayfly tissue, which their predators then eat,” Grant said.
Mayfly nymph
Canaries in the coalmine
Mayflies typically hatch in mass, particularly the large mayflies that inhabit Lake Erie, which means swarms of them appear literally overnight and cover the sides of building near the waterfront.
There is good reason for this group hatch: They have an extremely short amount of time to meet up, reproduce, and lay eggs. If they hatched over a series of days, those late to the party would never have the chance to pass on their genes.
While not everyone welcomes the influx of flying insects to their community, they are a welcome sight for ecologists and those who care about clean water.
“Anything living in the water is challenged by pollution,” Grant said. “And nymphs are thin skinned, so it’s easy for them to absorb pollutants.”
Grant is quick to qualify that statement, however.
“There are a lot of factors that go into how big the summer hatch is and some species are hardier than others, so you can’t directly equate a big or a small hatch to water quality, but it’s a factor, for sure.”
Still hard at work
Grant continues to balance his academic responsibilities with his research work. He’s currently involved in a long-term project cataloging the mayflies of Oklahoma as well as a study looking at the population size of endangered species of mayflies and caddisflies (another group of aquatic insect) in the state.
“When people think of Oklahoma, they tend to think of flat, dusty land, but it’s one of the most ecologically diverse states in the country,” he said. “We have twelve ecological regions and tons of streams.”
Grant could not be happier with his lot in life.
“I’ve wanted to be a scientist since I was a kid,” he said. “Being a college professor gave me the flexibility to both teach and learn.”
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 Briana Young.
Briana with the 2004 Mini Cooper she restored.
Major: Physics
Minor: Mathematics
Hometown: Port Allegany, Pennsylvania
On choosing her major: My high school physics teacher had a poster in his classroom that listed a bunch of careers you can pursue with a physics degree. I love understanding how everything works, and I knew I’d never be bored with physics.
Scholarships: I have been the lucky recipient of the LORD Corporation Scholarship and the National Science Foundation STEM Scholarship.
Proudest accomplishment at Behrend? I have two. The first is when I got an internship with LORD Corporation the summer before my sophomore year. The second is when I was asked to present my undergraduate research work at the American Physical Society conference in Los Angeles this spring.
Campus involvement: I have been involved with an array of organizations on campus. In my first two years, I was involved with International Student Organization where I was able to meet so many people that I never would have met in my small town. In my sophomore year, I was accepted into Lambda Sigma Honor Society and into Pi Mu Epsilon, a national math honor society, in my junior year. I have also been part of Campus Health and Fitness, which is a new club on campus.
What makes her unique: I have a handful of hobbies. I am very into art and I have my own Etsy account. I love cooking, hiking, and camping. I also have completed two half marathons while in college.
What you would be surprised to know about her: My car is a 2004 Mini Cooper that I bought as a wreck and fixed up. I learned how to do it from my dad who has done body work on cars his entire life.
On being a champion for Women in Physics: The longer I have been in school the more involved I have gotten with Women in Physics. In January, I attended a Women in Physics conference that made me realize there would be a lot more of us in this field if it weren’t for self-doubt. I am passionate about encouraging other generations of girls to get excited about physics.
On giving back: I want to involve myself with outreach and teaching kids in the community the importance of science. (Editor’s note: No doubt she’ll have that chance at LORD, as they are an avid supporter of Penn State Behrend’s K-12 Outreach programs, often allowing their engineers to help lead events and each workshops for young students.)
Inspiration at home: My parents inspire me every day. They both work hard for their own success and still manage to dedicate a great deal of their time to helping others. They are both involved in different programs to help troubled kids and they inspire me to not only work hard for myself and my family, but also to actively help others.
Advice for new students: There are no shortcuts to get to where you want to be. It’ll be hard and frustrating, but keep your eyes on your ultimate goals. And don’t forget to take care of both your body and your mind.
Briana has accepted a position as a quality engineer at LORD Corporation following her graduation in May.
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:
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.
This semester, students in Dr. Mary Beth Pinto’s MKTG 344 Buyer Behavior class will have a unique opportunity to work on a collaborative research project with a leading wireless telecommunications company, and it is all thanks to one of the first classes that Pinto ever taught three decades ago at the University of Maine.
Pinto made a strong impression on student Mark Nachman who recalls that Pinto was a “highly engaged” professor who kept her classes fun and relevant. “The things she taught were applicable, not just theory,” he said.
So when Nachman, who is now a regional president for Sprint, covering Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, was looking for a new regional marketing director, he thought of Pinto, professor of marketing, and connected with her on LinkedIn.
“I was looking for a young person with fresh perspectives and cutting-edge ideas who would not be afraid to take risks,” he said. “I thought: ‘What better way to get an inside track on recent marketing graduates than to reach out to a few professors?’”
Mark Nachman, regional president for Sprint
Pinto happily supplied Nachman with several leads, and then opened the door on other ways Sprint could get involved at Behrend, including offering internships, participating in a “Corporate Day” at the Black School of Business (where representatives can meet directly with students about internship and career opportunities), and engaging students in doing research work for the company.
“I suggested he think about any ways he could put upper-level marketing students to work doing a hands-on project for Sprint,” she said.
Nachman didn’t have to think about it for long. He knew that, despite substantial investment in technology and cell towers in the Erie region, Sprint had been struggling to gain market share in the area among its key demographic (18 to 25 year olds), but he didn’t know why.
This spring, he’ll have forty-plus MKTG 344 Buyer Behavior students on the case.
Students will work in small teams using a variety of marketing strategies, including market analysis, focus groups, personal interviews, and more, to learn more about the perceptions, attitudes, and cell-phone provider preferences among Sprint’s target demographic in the Erie area.
“This is real market research for an actual client,” Pinto said. “It’s an unbelievable opportunity for these students to get hands-on experience and put some of the things they’ve been learning into practice.”
Dr. Mary Beth Pinto, professor of marketing
Students will also assess current Sprint promotions in the Erie area and, based on the team’s research findings, offer recommendations and develop “guerrilla” marketing plans that can be used to boost Sprint’s profile and users in the region.
Guerrilla marketing is an advertising strategy that focuses on low-cost unconventional marketing tactics that yield maximum results. The original term was coined by Jay Conrad Levinson in his 1984 book GuerrillaAdvertising.
The top six teams will present their work to a team of executives from Sprint in April.
Nachman can’t wait to learn what they discover.
“I’m super fired up about this collaboration,” he said. “I love the whole concept and the grass-roots initiative of this project. I anticipate the students will come up with ideas that could be implemented nationwide at Sprint.”
Nachman has invested both time and money in the project. He and other Sprint executives will be on campus for the kickoff and final presentations and Sprint will be providing each student with Sprint T-shirts and demo phones so that they can be familiar with the company’s products and services.
“When I was a college student, I remember sometimes feeling disappointed and empty as I jumped through hoops and did research that was all theory,” he said. “This exercise will be entirely tangible and executable. If I were still a student, I’d find that inspiring and motivating.”
It bears noting that the college-age researchers are themselves in Sprint’s target demographic. Who better to find out what 18-24 year olds think about a company and product than their own friends and peers?
“Young adults are influencers, especially when it comes to technology decisions,” Nachman said. “They are intentionally and unintentionally steering their parents and friends on products and services daily.”
The same could be said for Pinto, whose influence on Nachman thirty years ago has clearly led to opportunities for Penn State Behrend students today.
MEET WITH SPRINT
Sprint executives will be on campus on January 12 for the class project kickoff and will participate in a “Corporate Day” at the Black School of Business. Sprint representatives will be in the Clark Café to talk with students about internship and job opportunities and, at 4:00 p.m., Nachman will be giving a talk about “Warrior Leadership” in the Black Conference Room at Burke Center. Nachman’s presentation is free and open to all.
Suturing—sewing together incisions or torn flesh—is a basic technique every doctor must master. It is, however, a skill that few undergraduate students have the opportunity to practice before entering medical school. But, thanks to the U.S. Army and Penn State Behrend’s Pre-Health Professions program, nearly thirty undergraduate students from four area universities were able to try their hand at three types of basic stitches at a suturing seminar earlier this month.
The class, offered by the Army Health Care Recruiting office in Pittsburgh and held at Penn State Behrend, was taught by Dr. Regan Shabloski, assistant dean for clinical education at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, and a member of the Army National Guard’s Medical Corps.
For two hours, students from Penn State Behrend, Allegheny College, Gannon University, and Mercyhurst University worked on severed pigs’ feet, practicing simple interrupted, running, and mattress stitches, using suturing kits provided by the Army.
Shabloski taught students how to hold the tools, how to start and finish stitching, how to know which stitches to use, how to choose the proper sutures, and the importance of symmetrical sewing.
Straight, evenly spaced stitches are paramount for patients.
“Neatness counts,” Shabloski said as he moved around the room, peering over shoulders at the students’ work. “Suture scars are one of the most visible reminders of your work. Patients care deeply what their scars look like, even if they are in a place where nobody will ever see them.”
Staff Sgt. Benjamin Earle and Staff Sgt. Ricardo Grey, both Army medics, were on hand to assist Shabloski with training.
The event was sponsored by the Army to bring attention to its Health Professions Scholarship Program, which provides tuition for up to four years of medical school to students pursuing an education at any accredited medical, dental, optometry, clinical or counseling psychology, or veterinary school, in exchange for a four-year commitment to working on an Army base after graduation.
“Students have to apply for this program before they enter medical school, and we were finding that many didn’t know about it until it was too late, so we’ve been making an effort to reach students at the undergraduate level and make them aware of the opportunities available to them through the Army,” Earle said.
Earle is quick to point out that being a doctor in the military does not necessarily mean working in a combat zone.
“We have Army bases all over the world, and on those bases, we have a tremendous need for all kinds of doctors for our soldiers and their families,” Earle said. “We need all the same doctors and specialists that are found in civilian life — OB/GYNs, pediatricians, general practitioners, dentists, and even veterinarians.”
Christina Hilaire, a junior Biology major who wants to be a doctor, participated in the suturing class and said the scholarship program is worth exploring.
“My mother was in the military, so I’ve thought about it,” Hilaire said.
“It is a pretty sweet deal for students inclined to spend a few years working at a military base,” said Dr. Michael Justik, associate professor of chemistry and chair for the Pre-Health Professions programs. Justik helped bring the suturing class to Behrend.
Among the perks? Full tuition paid directly to the medical school, a $20,000 signing bonus, a $2,000+ monthly living stipend, and health insurance, in addition to coverage of school-related expenses, including books, fees, and medical supplies.
It’s a deal that, according to Earle, only gets sweeter after graduation when the newly-minted doctors are admitted to the Army at the level of an officer.
“They are able to practice medicine at Army bases throughout the world without concerns about billing, overhead expenses, or malpractice premiums,” he said. “Many enjoy the lifestyle and stay in the service past their required commitment,” Earle said. “But, even if they don’t and they only put in their four years, we feel that’s a fair deal.”
The military recruits medical professionals in northwestern Pennsylvania because it’s rich in universities and medical facilities.
“Erie is a wonderful place to prepare for a medical career,” Justik said. “We have three hospitals in the area as well as LECOM, a top osteopathic medical school, all of which provide various learning opportunities for pre-health students.”
Here is what some of the students had to say about the suturing experience at Behrend:
“It was a fantastic event that helped solidify my career choice. I want to be a surgeon and the suturing class made me realize that it really is what I want to do for a living.” — Stephen Wells, a Penn State Behrend senior Biology major.
“It was really helpful to have Dr. Shabloski and the Army medics right there helping us and giving us tips. I took a similar suturing class in high school, but I learned some new and different techniques in this class.” —Thalia Soto, a Penn State Behrend sophomore majoring in Chemistry. Soto wants to be a pediatric surgeon.
“I really enjoyed it because it was an opportunity to do some hands-on learning, which is not often a part of the pre-med curriculum.” —Margaret Dunlop, a Penn State Behrend sophomore majoring in Psychology. Dunlop wants to be an orthopedic surgeon.
“The suturing class was a great learning experience in a fun, low-pressure setting. It was an excellent opportunity to do one of the many tasks that doctors and health professionals perform almost daily.” — Bethany Kelley, a Mercyhurst University sophomore Pre-Medical major. Kelley wants to be a physician assistant.
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