Site-Wide Activity

What Is Graduate Writing?Students in Dr. Nicole Pfannenstiel’s summer Games and Writing class crafted blog posts exploring play theory. Over the next several w […]

A Summary of Summer Reads – Fall 2024 Here are the top recommendations from books faculty read this summer! Faculty caught up on some classic Sci-Fi, explored […]

Millersville Honors Lost Lives: 9/11 Memorial Ceremony   In remembrance of the tragic events on September 11th, Millersville University is holding a Memorial Ceremony dedicated to those who lost their lives.    At 8:46 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2024, the Millersville Student Chapter of the International Association of Emergency Managers will hold a remembrance and moment of silence at the gazebo by the pond on campus.   Dr. Duane Hagelgans, professor in the Center for Disaster Research and Education shared his thoughts on the importance of holding this memorial on campus, “As we reflect and remember September 11th, 2001, twenty-three years ago, we cannot forget the sacrifices that were made by our past and present veterans and emergency responders. And as important, we cannot ever forget the losses of our citizens to this heinous and incomprehensible event. We lost mothers, fathers, grandparents, sons, daughters, aunts and uncles, all well before their time on this earth should have ended. The sacrifices have been made not just by those who have battled and continued to battle terrorism but also daily by the families left behind.”  Hagelgans says many students at Millersville weren’t born when 9/11 happened and only know about it by “reading about it, videos, and the internet, very similar to those of us who were alive during 9-11 but only ever read about Pearl Harbor.”   Millersville University’s campus bells will chime in remembrance of those who lost their lives at:  8:46 a.m. – Flight 11 crashed into the World Trade Center’s North Tower.   9:03 a.m. – Flight 175 crashed into the WTC’s South Tower.   9:37 a.m. – Flight 77 hit the Pentagon   10:03 a.m. – Fl […] “Millersville Honors Lost Lives: 9/11 Memorial Ceremony  “

Millersville Student Wins Prestigious Breidenstine Award Millersville University student Ty Tempalski ventured to New Jersey in search of 17th-century artifacts and earned the Breidenstine Award for his efforts. Tempalski, along with a group of archaeology students, spent nearly two months in 2023 excavating three sites in a quest to unearth buried history. His dedication and perseverance in this challenging fieldwork have not only brought valuable historical insights but also earned him this prestigious recognition. Tempalski stood out among seven students vying for the award. The purpose of Tempalski’s paper was to report on the artefactual and historical findings of Millersville University’s 2023 Archaeological Field School in New Castle, Delaware. The research supported the hypothesis of Millersville University’s Atlantic World Research Institute: that illegal maritime activity at the end of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century was a crucial facet of many colonial American cities’ economies, infusing them with capital stripped by British taxes. Over the fall 2023 semester, archaeological research took place, uncovering more than 15,000 artifacts across three sites in historic New Castle, Delaware. The project sought to identify and excavate potential tavern sites, as these were typical gathering places for sailors involved in both legal and illegal activities and would, therefore, be central points for wealth gained through piracy or smuggling. Although the artifacts recovered did not provide evidence of illegal trade or piracy, the team discovered a likely 1790s tavern and the ground level of a previously unknown stone and brick building. The other candidates and thesis topics are listed below: Alexi Cordova, mathematics major; “The Complex Relationships Between Mathematician’s Religious Beliefs And Their Mathematical Ideas: Historical Snapshots” Collin Joseph Hood, mathematics major; “Divisibility Tests in Different Number Systems and Their Applications” Joshua Kinsky, meteorology major; “A Case Study on the Anomalous Winter Weather Events of March 2018 in New Jersey” Rebekah Homes, an anthropology major; “Analysis and Conservation of a Found Historic Textile” Hannah Warner, Meteorology with an Environmental Hazards and Emergency Management minor; “An Analysis of High Impact Weather Messaging and Communications” Matthew Teare, Meteorology major; “Radar Characteristics of Tornadic Convection in Pennsylvania Sampled at Short Range” Friends of Dr. A. G. Breidenstine, who served as dean of academic affairs at Millersville from 1955 to 1965, established a fund to provide annually an award to the student whose work was judged most outstanding by the honors committee. Students completing a thesis receive information from their college dean or department chair with information on how to apply. The winner of the Breidenstine […] “Millersville Student Wins Prestigious Breidenstine Award”

Women, Digital Harassment and Democratic Life The Harriet Kenderdine Lecture is back at Millersville University. On Oct. 8, Millersville University and the League of Women Voters of Lancaster County are sponsoring the lecture by Dr. Sarah Sobieraj, professor and chair of the Department of Sociology at Tufts University. Sobieraj’s lecture will be “The Body Politic: Women, Digital Harassment and Democratic Life.” Her research focuses on United States political culture, extreme incivility, digital abuse and harassment, and the mediated information environment. Her book, “Credible Threat: Attacks Against Women Online and the Future of Democracy” examines the impact of identity-based digital abuse on women’s participation in social and political discourse. It explores how 52 powerful women were attacked in digital spaces in attempts to silence their voices and the impacts such attacks have on free speech and the democratic process. “We’re delighted to present the Kenderdine Lecture again this October,” says Dr. Jill Craven, professor of English & World Languages and coordinator for the event. “From the 1940s through the 1960s, Harriet Kenderdine was involved in politics where she specialized in foreign policy and Latin American relations. Kenderdine was an active member of the League of Women Voters at the national, state and Lancaster County levels up through the 1970s, leading the local organization through the 1950s. When she died, she left a bequest to the League of Women Voters of Lancaster County for public lectures to empower voters and protect democracy. Millersville University has been proud to host these lectures over the past four decades to honor her legacy.” The lecture will be held on Oct. 8, 2024, at 7 p.m. in Biemesderfer Concert Hall, Winter Center, 60 West Cottage Avenue, Millersville PA 1755. The lecture is free and open to the public. For more information visit Kenderdine@millersville.edu. In addition to the lecture, The League of Women Voters of Lancaster County will host a book club on Thursday, 9/12 to discuss Sobieraj’s book. That will occur on September 12 at 6 p.m. at West Art, 800 Buchanan Avenue in La […] “Women, Digital Harassment and Democratic Life”

Celebrating Success: Nicole Paulino's Student Shines on Broadway The Tell School of Music is thrilled to celebrate the achievements of our music education alumni, Nicole Paulino (Class of ’04), who […]

NHL’s Johnny Gaudreau and brother Matthew killed by suspected drunk driver Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau defends against Seattle Krakens’ Will Borgen and Brandon Tanev during a game on January 28, 2024. PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Katelyn Auty Head Copy Editor Social Media Editor Associate Sports Editor John “Johnny Hockey” Gaudreau and his younger brother Matthew were struck and killed by a suspected drunk driver while riding their bicycles in Salem County, New Jersey.  The brothers were riding their bikes north on County Road 551 Thursday night. An SUV moved into the middle of the roadway, splitting the north and south lanes, to safely pass the Gaudreau brothers, investigators shared. The alleged drunk driver, later identified as Sean Higgins, then tried to pass the SUV, striking the brothers in the process. Both brothers were pronounced dead at the scene. Johnny and Matthew were supposed to attend their sister’s wedding on Friday.  Johnny played with the Boston College Eagles alongside his brother from 2011 to 2014. Matthew would go on to play professional hockey in the American Hockey League and the ECHL. Johnny was drafted by the Calgary Flames in the 2011 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft and would go on to make his NHL debut with the Flames in the 2013-2014 season. In 2022, he signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he would play for two years.  “Johnny played the game with great joy which was felt by everyone that saw him on the ice,” the Blue Jackets shared in a statement. “The impact he had on our organization and our sport was profound, but pales in comparison to the indelible impression he made on everyone who knew him.” Higgins was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and has been charged with two counts of death by auto, Sgt. Jeffrey Lebron of the New Jersey State Police said Friday in a statement. Higgins was booked into the Salem County Correctional Facility and was told he could face up to ten years in prison after appearing in a virtual courtroom on Friday afternoon. He admitted to having consumed five to six beers before the accident. Higgins failed a field sobriety test after the accident. Fans gathered at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio on Friday to lay flowers and hockey sticks outside in honor of Johnny.  “We will miss him terribly and do everything that we can to support his family a […] “NHL’s Johnny Gaudreau and brother Matthew killed by suspected drunk driver”

Fall 2024 Welcome and Upcoming Events Welcome back! We are so excited to kick-off another academic year with you and want to share some of the awesome events and […]

Harold Halibut is a slow-paced and artfully crafted adventure gameJamie Hughes Associate Photography Editor “Harold Halibut” opens with a very average scenario: the titular character has received a fine from the transit system due to an unannounced fare change, and is brought down to the headquarters to resolve it. Halibut is established early on as clueless but not unintelligent, which was an accurate portrayal of my own feelings on the matter, due to the game thrusting you into Halibut’s shoes with almost no explanation of where to go or what to do. Despite the player’s initial cluelessness, the game is designed in such a way to not be overly stumping. Early in the game, you are tasked with draining a large filtration tank. The controls for the tank come with absolutely no tutorial, and an interface made up entirely of pixel icons. Relying solely on the context the icons provide, I was able to complete the task. The real headline feature of this game of course is its art style. “Harold Halibut” is a game that took more than a decade to develop, mostly due to the path taken with its art design. The game was originally going to be hand-animated using clay stop-motion, and while that, unfortunately, didn’t work out, they instead chose to digitally scan their clay models to be animated by computer, and the result is a smooth game with an entirely hand-crafted look, which one can easily say looks like staring into a lovingly crafted diorama. Also on display is the worldbuilding. The world of “Harold Halibut” is a huge starship, called the Fedora I, trapped in an alien ocean, that left Earth hundreds of years ago. The inhabitants of the ship believe that Earth was destroyed when the Cold War turned nuclear. This means the technology aboard the Fedora is based on the technology of the ‘80s and ‘90s, such as the delightfully retro mini-computer called the “PDA” which forms the game’s mission tracker system.  You have your typical corporation running the ship who is the source of much of the game’s plot; they’re the reason you receive your fine at the beginning of the game and it is shown very early on that there is a heavy amount of mismanagement and bureaucratic intrigue that bogs down the ship’s culture. A mysterious group known as the “Lightkeepers” is self-described to be exposing the corporation’s corruption, and you will eventually run into them over the course of the story. Halibut works as a lab assistant for one of Fedora’s scientists but also completes odd jobs for just about everyone aboard the ship. The primary goal of Halibut’s superiors on the Fedora is to get the vessel back into space to find a better place to live. This is complicated by several factors, including a lack of enough power on the ship and dangerous space weather above.  Overall, this game is made for people who want to take a break from breathtaking action or overly complex intrigue. “Harold Halibut” deliberately takes things slow, and while there are occasional moments of excitement, this game can be described as “relaxing.” Think “Animal Crossing” but without the life simulator elements and with more focus on the story. Your goal as Halibut is to interact with everyone, complete every side quest, and explore every corner of the game’s world. It will even award you with an achievement for taking as long as possible to complete the game, going to show you that video games don’t always have to be intense or fast-paced. “Harold Halibut” i […] “Harold Halibut is a slow-paced and artfully crafted adventure game”

Clubs and Student Organizations 2024 Being a part of a club or student organization can be an awesome opportunity to make friends, build skills, and commiserate about […]

Where Did All the Children Go? Editor’s Note: This story contains topics and historical language which may be upsetting to some readers.  Recently, the New York Times published an article describing the findings of the second and final volume of an investigative report from the U.S. Department of the Interior into the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative that found nearly 1,000 native children died at these government-run institutions, according to identified grave sites.   Here, Millersville University’s archivist and special collections librarian and assistant professor Frank Vitale, who is also an expert on the history of Native American boarding schools with a focus on the Carlisle Indian School and other Pennsylvania institutions, details why this report is important, it’s implications and possible ties to Millersville history. 1. Can you elaborate on the historical significance of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in the context of Native American history and U.S. education policy? The Carlisle Indian Industrial School was the first and most famous federally run off-reservation boarding school and was established at a time when the United States government sought to reduce Indigenous resistance to settlers’ land grabs in the American West.   Carlisle’s founder, Richard Henry Pratt, asserted that through Euro-centric education and Christianization, you could assimilate Native American youth; or in his own words, you could “kill the Indian in him, and save the Man.”   Since Carlisle was the closest federal school to major cities on the East Coast, including the Capital, politicians, researchers, reformers, and tourists from across the country frequently visited it. Carlisle was also famous thanks to its athletic teams, which frequently played and beat major collegiate teams of the day, and for the number of Native Americans who were educated there who later became leading figures in society. 2. Why was there a push for these boarding schools in the United States and Canada?  The boarding schools in the United States and Canada served as a new and less outwardly violent means of controlling Indigenous populations, which had for centuries opposed Western expansion and land theft through warfare. By using education to strip Indigenous youth of their cultures, languages, religions, and identities, the boarding schools thus helped settlers strip Indigenous communities of their land. Proponents of the boarding schools in the United States also hoped to relieve shortages of cheap labor caused by the end of slavery and claimed to be improving the quality of life of Indigenous peoples by “civilizing” them. 3. How was this effort pitched to the public? Was this a government effort?  Newspapers, churches, politicians, and more all argued that the United States faced an “Indian Problem” of Native American resistance to land expansion and “civilization.” While missionary groups had already established some schools near reservations, the federal government became more directly involved in the late 1800s, starting with the founding of Carlisle.  By 1900, the federal government through the Bureau of Indian Affairs in the Department of the Interior operated and/or funded a network of over 400 schools for the purpose of assimilating Native Americans. Through newspaper articles, political speeches, sermons, and even Worlds Fairs, these schools were hailed as a vital part of Indigenous peoples’ “progress.” 4. How did they find the children that they brought to the Carlisle Indian School?  Children were brought to Carlisle in several ways. Unlike most boarding schools that were regionally focused, Carlisle enrolled children from dozens of tribes and nations from across the American Empire. Sometimes, groups would be specifically targeted to cultivate relationships between American and Indigenous political leaders, or as a punishment for resisting settlers.  Some children were sent voluntarily by their parents, while others were orphans, most often due either to disease or to conflict. Other families were coerced into sending their children to Carlisle and other schools through violence and threats of violence, through withholding of food and money to the families, through deception, and more. Some children at Carlisle were prisoners of war, either captured during raids or taken as hostages to discourage further resistance of their tribes and nations.  5. What were the conditions in schools like the Carlise Indian School? Conditions at Carlisle and other boarding schools were generally unhygienic and unhealthy. Children were often placed in crowded dormitories, without adequate clothing, and without adequate nutritional food. This led to frequent disease outbreaks, especially contagious diseases including tuberculosis, smallpox, measles and more.   Discipline was strict and militaristic, with children organized into companies and forced to practice drilling and marching. However, some of those who attended the schools reflected fondly on their time as well, even while acknowledging the poor conditions they experienced. The student experience of schools like Carlisle was complex, and scholars are still trying to unpack and understand exactly what it was like at these institutions. 6. Were you able to talk with any family members of survivors?  I have worked with dozens of descendants and several nations as part of my work over the last decade. Most often, I am in conversation with individuals and families, mutually sharing information about their ancestors’ experiences at Carlisle and the other schools I investigate. Since my research focuses largely on medicine and mortality at Carlisle, I have also given information to descendants seeking to repatriate their ancestors’ remains from the school’s cemetery to return them to their homelands.  7. Do any of the Indigenous groups that were forced to attend the Carlise Boarding School have any remaining populations in the area?  Pennsylvania does not have any state or federally-recognized tribes or nations. However, boarding school survivors and their descendants can be found across the United States, including the Lancaster area. The University works with some of our local community members who are descendants as part of its broader efforts to acknowledge the land upon which we live and work. There are also descendants of boarding school survivors and victims who are members of our University community.   8. How have the legacy and impact of boarding schools like Carlisle influenced contemporary Native American communities? The boarding schools inflicted generational trauma upon Native American communities that continues to impact them today. Efforts like language revitalization, cultural and religious revival programs, and more seek to reverse and counteract the impacts of the boarding schools. Recently, repatriation efforts and attempts to identify cemeteries at boarding schools have also been successfully pursued to unpack the legacy of these institutions. The federal government has also become more involved in recognizing this history, with the Department of the Interior under Secretary Deb Haaland (Pueblo of Laguna) launching the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative in 2021 to investigate the troubled legacy of federal policies and efforts related to the boarding schools. 9. The Department of the Interior just released the second and final volume of the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative’s investigative report that says nearly 1,000 Native children perished in these schools. Is it possible that there were more deaths?  The recent release of the second volume of the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative’s final report is significant, adding details to their previous findings including statistics about the 400+ schools they have identified, the number of burial sites at these schools, the role of religious organizations and institutions in the boarding school system, and the financial support provided by the federal government over decades. Their finding that 973 children died at these schools is horrible, but not surprising.    The true number of children whose deaths can be attributed to the boarding school system is much higher.   Since the Department of the Interior’s investigation focused only on known burial grounds located at the schools themselves, their report acknowledges that their findings are an undercounting. My research into the Carlisle Indian School has identified 237 individuals who died while connected to this one school, and that count does not include the hundreds of fatally ill children who were sent home to die with their families instead of in the school’s hospital. Scholars are continuing their investigations into the death counts and rates of individual institutions in the boarding school system, but the true number of direct and indirect deaths easily numbers in the thousands. 10. Do you have any other insights you’d like to offer?    Since I arrived at Millersville in 2022, I’ve been leading an effort to investigate Millersville’s connections to the Carlisle Indian Industrial School and the wider boarding school movement. Last fall, we received a grant to help found the Millersville Institutional Legacy Initiative, and to fund a student researcher to further these efforts. Bryanna Nase ’27 and I worked together to identify 18 individuals who were essentially dual-enrolled between Millersville and the Carlisle Indian School between the 1880s and 1910s. These individuals are likely our first Native American students at Millersville and came here as a direct result of the assimilationist efforts of the federal government during that period. Bryanna presented on her findings during our Made in Millersville conference last year, and the Millersville Institutional Legacy Initiative is continuing its investigations into our connec […] “Where Did All the Children Go?”

Millersville Parade Seeks Volunteers The Millersville Parade is actively seeking volunteers to help ensure the smooth operation of this year’s event, set for Sept. 21 which is earlier than normal this year. A beloved tradition since its inception in 1997, the parade is a collaborative effort between Millersville University and the Millersville community, aiming to strengthen relationships among the University with the Borough of Millersville, Manor Township and surrounding areas. The parade is part of homecoming activities for Millersville University and begins at 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 21. This year’s parade theme, “Dinosaurs, Dragons and Mythical Creatures,” promises to be a fun and imaginative event, but it requires a significant amount of support to bring it to life. Over 100 volunteers are needed to fill a variety of roles, including banner carriers, flag carriers, line-up assistants, parking greeters and street crew. The parade covers a two-mile route, beginning at Penn Manor High School and ending past the Student Memorial Center on James Street. Depending on their assigned roles, some volunteers may need to walk the full two miles. Each year, the parade features a diverse array of entries, from the Shriners in their iconic “mini-cars” to the Steam Caliope and handmade floats crafted by local children’s groups. The Parade Committee is also committed to showcasing high-quality bands from across Pennsylvania and Maryland, adding to the festive atmosphere. For those interested in volunteering, sign-up is available at Millersville Parade Volunteer. Any questions about volunteering can be directed to the Office of University Events at special.events@millersville.edu or by calling 717-871-5926. “Whether you’re a student, a resident, or just someone looking to be part of a vibrant community event, the Millersville Parade is a great opportunity to get involved and help make this year’s parade a success, says Lydia Yeager, director of University Events at Millersville Uni […] “Millersville Parade Seeks Volunteers”

Coming Together at ComMUnity Fest Get ready to get involved at the fourth annual ComMUnity Fest! The event will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 11, from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the Student Memorial Center Promenade. Millersville students, staff and faculty are welcome to attend and engage with a variety of vendors from the Lancaster County area. ComMUnity Fest is an opportunity for students to connect to Millersville University and the greater Lancaster County community.  “It’s important that students not only connect on campus but connect to and engage in the local community as well,” explains John Hearn, Director of Operations at the Student Memorial Center. “Since Lancaster County will be your home away from home for several months, we’ve invited local businesses and organizations to visit campus to share what they have to offer students, faculty and staff at MU.” In 2023, ComMUnity Fest welcomed more than 35 vendors and 600 attendees, and an even larger turnout is expected this year. The event isn’t just informative – there will be lots of freebies! Students will be able to make their own free wax hands, spin the PSECU wheel for prizes, and dine on free tacos. From Tanger Outlets to Sky Zone, each business provides free items such as coupons, food and other fun merchandise. VENDOR INFORMATION ComMUnity Fest is a convenient opportunity to directly introduce products, resources, and services to the population of nearly 8,000 Millersville students, staff, and faculty who may be new to the local community and unfamiliar with what the Lancaster area has to offer. Vendors participating in ComMUnity Fest are encouraged to distribute promotional materials such as coupons, giveaways, product samples and information about services to attending students. For more information on ComMUnity Fest and vendor registration details, c […] “Coming Together at ComMUnity Fest”

Positive Energy Fund Winners Each year, Millersville University receives money from utility rebates created by the University’s energy-conserving Lombardo Welcome Center. The Lombardo Welcome Center is the first building in Pennsylvania to be certified as a zero-energy building by the International Living Future Institute and only one of about 100 zero-energy buildings in the country. The rebates fund faculty, staff and student-led projects that contribute positively to local and global communities using the  Global Goals for Sustainable Development structure. Called the “Positive Energy Fund,” faculty, staff and students are welcome to propose any project that addresses one of the global goals of sustainable development. Up to $2,500 can be awarded to the winning applicants for projects that advance one of the global goals. Applications must include a detailed narrative that describes the project’s implementation and intent. MU’s sustainability manager, Kaitlynn Hamaty, explains how the fund aims to support a wide variety of academic programs while having local and global reach. “The Positive Energy Fund allows for innovation and community connection, as the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are expansive and include many focus areas or degree concentrations. Millersville wants to put our energy savings back into the community and find ways to combat local challenges, whether environmental, economic, social, etc. The Office of Sustainability is excited to have this opportunity available to all students, faculty and staff and encourages everyone to apply.” Here are some of the recent Positive Energy Fund recipients: Sustainability Through Native Perennials Dr. Dominique Didier, professor of biology, had one of the recent winning projects, titled “Growing and Planting Native Perennials for Sustainable Landscaping.” Her project works to meet the global need for conservation and environmental sustainability. Didier is partnering with Homefields, a local organic farm, and with their help, she will replace the blueberries grown there with Saskatoon berries, an extremely hardy species of berry able to adapt to drought and extreme temperatures. “The impact of planting native perennials includes providing a natural habitat for native insects and bees, which increases the sustainability of the entire ecosystem,” she explains. Other native perennials will be available to the local community, and Didier plans to donate some of the plants to MU. These native perennials will be planted in campus gardens, both beautifying the University and conserving a threatened species of flora. Didier hopes that visitors to the school will grow their appreciation for natural sustainability plantings and further educate the public on the importance of conserving native species. Didier’s plans to use her grant money are as follows: “This spring, we purchased and planted 20 Saskatoon berry bushes, and in the fall, we will purchase 500–800 native perennial plants. These will be ‘grown up’ and tended until they can be explanted into gardens during the 2025 planting season. The grant money will also support the purchase of planting medium and pots for growing the plants, and an MU student intern to help plan gardens and plant perennials on the MU campus.” Solar-Powered Learning Opportunities Winning applicant Dr. Len Litowitz, professor of Applied Engineering, Safety & Technology, proposed a project called “5kW Photovoltaic Installation for Student and Community Education,” which addresses the global goal of creating affordable clean energy, which factors into the global goal of creating sustainable cities and communities. Litowitz’s project involves the installation of a small solar array on campus, which will be used to teach students the basic mechanics of solar power, how to use the technology for collecting data, and how to install solar arrays themselves. Litowitz plans to use his grant money to supplement the cost of the 5,000-watt solar array. While Litowitz acknowledges that the solar energy produced from the array is only a small contribution to the campus community, he hopes that his students who learn from the demonstration will use what they’ve learned to advance the goal of affordable and clean energy in their future endeavors.  A Nature Trail Educational Experience Graduate assistant Elizabeth Rickrode’s project, “Millersville Nature Tracks: Passive Education Within the MU Nature Preserve,” addresses the global goal of environmental sustainability, specifically the goal of accessible clean water sources. Rickrode plans to place signs along the nature trail next to the Watershed Education Training Institute, which will explain concepts of what makes an ecosystem healthy, from the amount of damage invasive species can cause to how vegetative zones on the edges of a stream can serve to prevent pollutants from entering the water, also known as a riparian buffer. Rickrode hopes that her signs will provide a “passive education” opportunity for trail visitors. She believes that by encouraging community members to learn about their local ecosystem, broader environmental awareness can be achieved. She will use the grant money to design, purchase and install her educational signs. Bringing Cultural Activities Into the Classroom Dr. Christina Williams, director of the Gateway Scholars Program, designed the project “Mi Orgullo Latinx,” or “My Latinx Pride,” to help provide Latinx students in the School District of Lancaster with ways to connect with their culture and learn about their heritage in an educational setting. Approximately 67% of students in the School District of Lancaster are Latinx. Williams saw an opportunity to advance the global goal of quality education by adding a cultural education to a traditional academic setting. Williams plans to use her grant money to cover the cost of the cultural programs for students. “I am currently discussing the project with some college-bound organizations and a school in the School District of Lancaster that I attended as a student,” Williams explains. They are interested in being the site where the project will take place. I am also looking to hire a Latin dance instructor who will provide dance classes and an art teacher who will expose students to Latinx culture and art.” For more information on the Positive Energy Fund, click h […] “Positive Energy Fund Winners”

New Marauders on Campus Cl […] “New Marauders on Campus”

Digital Literacy Grant Benefits Community  For the third time since 2021, Millersville University was awarded the Digital Literacy and Workforce Development grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. The $98,235 grant will be used to fund resources for the community to teach computer skills, digital navigation, workshops on searching for jobs using Indeed and LinkedIn and what it means to be a good digital citizen to the public.  With this round of funding, MU will partner with the Columbia Borough, the Columbia Public Library, the Columbia School District and returning partner CareerLink. As the program expands and more people get involved, more workshops will be added to ensure everyone is granted equal opportunity to build their digital literacy skills. In previous rounds, the grant was awarded for a year, and the new round has been extended to two years,  Hope Schmids, director of the Workforce Development Program at MU, is proud of how well this grant project aligns with MU’s EPPIIC values.  “Our mission as a public university is to educate the community, not just our own degree-seeking students, but to provide lifetime learning opportunities in ways that benefit our community and local economy. We’re very invested in that,” says Schmids.  In past rounds, participants have received certificates of completion rewarding them for their dedication to completing a whole series of classes. The program has housed workshops, walk-ins and online classes as part of their partnership with local libraries. Some came looking to build their digital literacy skills, whereas others preferred to have quick questions answered. The program has helped people video chat with their family over COVID and fill out online job applications and job profiles. The diversity in the inquiries inspired the organizers to approach the new round in a different way, ensuring everyone could effectively get the help they need.  In the future, Schmids hopes the University continues to receive funding for this program to ensure the community gets the most out of it, as well as maximizing the benefi […] “Digital Literacy Grant Benefits Community “

Millersville University and WITF Join Forces Millersville University has joined forces with WITF to bring additional programming to the campus radio station, WIXQ. The programming agreement will benefit both radio stations and the students involved, bringing in more listeners to WIXQ’s signal. WITF is now broadcasting over the WIXQ signal from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.  WIXQ, 91.7 FM, is Millersville University’s student-run station, allowing students to gain radio experience. Each student DJ is allotted a two-to-three-hour time slot once a week to play any genre of music or hold any talk show. “WITF is an important voice for Central Pennsylvania,” says Dr. Daniel A. Wubah, president of Millersville University. “They have been a friend to the University, and we are pleased to enter this partnership. WIXQ has a long legacy at Millersville, and it is important to note that the WIXQ student group will remain independent from WITF and will continue to have a unique, independent voice.” The partnership means that WIXQ will soon be able to resume pre-pandemic 24-hour programming with the two NPR news breaks during the day. “This is a win-win for the University,” says Dr. Gail Gasparich, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. “It will broaden the awareness of WIXQ radio and the University to WITF’s wide audience across Central Pennsylvania. The station’s call letters and location will be broadcast at the top of every hour. And it will open doors for our students.” WITF-FM is a non-commercial, public FM radio station owned by WITF, Inc., and broadcasts National Public Radio talk and news programming that reaches 17 counties in Pennsylvania. It is co-owned with the area’s Public Broadcasting Service member station, WITF-TV. Listeners will hear content from NPR, Public Radio Exchange, and American Public Media. “The student community at WIXQ brings together passion and enthusiasm, and WITF is fortunate to be able to work with them to offer opportunities for collaboration, talent development, outreach and audience growth,” says Fred Vigeant, Vice President & Chief Audience Officer at WITF. “This partnership will support Millersville University students in various ways, including the potential for internships and increased exposure and listenership for WIXQ when not airing the WITF programming,” says Gasparich. Although separate from this partnership, MU is currently working with WITF to supply internships to the radi […] “Millersville University and WITF Join Forces”

What Is Play?Students in Dr. Nicole Pfannenstiel’s summer Games and Writing class crafted blog posts exploring play theory. Over the next several […]