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THE HERALD,
Sharon, Pa.,
Sunday, February 12, 2012; HUBBARD PRESS,
Hubbard, Ohio,
Saturday, February 18, 2012 í
Outlook 2012
www.shar
By Dr. Fred Leeds
Chancellor,
Penn State Shenango
Building on our tradition
of offering academic pro-
grams that lead to careers
with a bright future, Penn
State Shenango will add the
associate in science degree
in occupational therapy to
our portfolio beginning in fall
2012. The campus has been
granted developing program
status from ACOTE, the ac-
crediting body for occupa-
tional therapy programs,
along with approval from the
university.
The decision to offer a de-
gree in occupational therapy
is consonant with the cam-
pus’ desire to provide path-
ways to economic prosperity
for our graduates while satis-
fying the needs of employers
in our region. Health care
providers and social services
agencies are critical assets in
our community, and Penn
State Shenango is key to the
vitality of those assets by ed-
ucating individuals who can
work there.
Our pro-
grams in
p h y s i c a l
therapy as-
sistant, nurs-
ing, human
development and family stud-
ies, and administration of jus-
tice, to name a few, have
consistently been praised for
graduating top quality people
who have the academic
background, the communica-
tion and human relations
skills, and the ethical sensi-
bilities to fulfill the significant
demands of intensive, inter-
personal work.
Penn State Shenango has
been strengthening its ties to
other Penn State campuses
in the western part of the
Commonwealth. We are a
part of an initiative to devel-
op cooperative academic pro-
gramming that will provide
even greater access to the
myriad resources of our
great university. For exam-
ple, there is a geographic
reason for us to look north
to Penn State Erie, the
Behrend Campus, with its
rich academic portfolio. We
have embarked on an effort
to establish a list of pro-
grams and assets that can be
shared to the benefit of each
of our communities. It will
take a bit of time for our
plans to become reality; how-
ever, we have made early ef-
forts to do joint recruiting of
students and to work togeth-
er on marketing. We hope to
have new, shared program
offerings available in the not-
too-distant future which will
lead to even more profes-
sional opportunities for Penn
State graduates in our re-
gion.
Penn State’s “For the Fu-
ture” fundraising campaign is
in full swing. All funds donat-
ed to Penn State Shenango
remain here, and we have
made scholarships our priori-
ty. We are keenly aware of
the rising cost of higher edu-
cation in our country and
concerns over student debt;
our goal is to keep a Penn
State education affordable,
and our benefactors are com-
mitted to this goal, as well.
No one should hesitate to
visit our Admissions Office;
our admissions and financial
aid personnel are experts in
helping those interested in
earning a Penn State degree
achieve that important end.
We pride ourselves on the
personal service that is a
hallmark of our friendly and
intimate campus.
The Penn State Shenango
community continues to ex-
hibit good citizenship. From
working with the City of
Sharon on its newsletter to
refurbishing computers for
the Prince of Peace to serv-
ice projects associated with
new student orientation, our
students and staff demon-
strate in concrete ways their
commitment to a better envi-
ronment for all.
Penn State was invited to
establish a campus in our
community almost 50 years
ago. We remain true to the
purpose for which we were
founded – to serve the citi-
zens in our region by bring-
ing here the resources of a
major research university.
We do this with Penn State
quality and with Penn State
pride.
By Joyce DeFrancesco
Director of Public Relations
Thiel College
The past year has been an
historic one for Thiel College
with gains in fundraising and
enrollment.
The high-
light of 2011
came in No-
v e m b e r ,
when the
college an-
nounced the largest gift ever
in its 145-year history. The
late Pittsburgh businessman,
scholar and philanthropist
William Dietrich II be-
queathed a $25 million fund
to the institution.
The gift will honor Diet-
rich’s parents, Kenneth and
Marianna Brown, who were
Thiel alumni.Ken also served
on the college’s board of
trustees and Bill received the
Haller Enterprise Institute’s
Entrepreneur of the Year
award in 1996. The college
will announce its plans for
the gift at the Winter Week-
end celebration on Feb. 11.
During the 2010-2011 fis-
cal year, Thiel achieved sev-
eral milestones in institution-
al fundraising.
The Thiel Fund, which
provides the second-largest
portion of unrestricted rev-
enue to the operating budget
after direct student billing,
surpassed the $1 million
mark for the first time, a sev-
en percent increase over the
previous fiscal year. In addi-
tion, total voluntary support,
which includes special proj-
ects, scholarships, endow-
ments, grants and more,
reached more than $5 mil-
lion.
Thiel built on its strong
enrollment gains with anoth-
er large first-year class. In
August, more than 440 new
students increased the aca-
demic quality, geographic
reach and diversity of the
college and brought fall en-
rollment to 1,109.
Enrollment data trends
point to another banner year
for the college in 2012.
“Last year was an amazing
time for Thiel College,” said
President Dr. Troy D.
VanAken. “The faith and
trust that our alumni, friends,
donors and students’ parents
place in Thiel is humbling.
Thiel College’s ability to
serve our mission of academ-
ic excellence, ethical leader-
ship, diversity and service to
the world has been en-
hanced thanks to the events
of 2011.
We are excited to see
what 2012 will bring.”
For more about Thiel Col-
lege, visit www.thiel.edu or
call 800-248-4435.
Penn State Shenango student Wiley H
one of the 16 computer systems refurbi
and his classmates during their PC Repair
Brown of the Prince of Peace Center, while
tors Lisa Bertin and Brian Bradshaw look o
Occupational therapy program comi
The
Outlook
A community
point of view
SHARON
Thiel had a landmark year
The
Outlook
A community
point of view
GREENVILLE
Contributed
Thiel students hold a sign thanking William “Bill’’ Dietrich II for bequeathing $25 million to the Greenville col-
lege.
By Sue McLaughlin
Post-Secondary
Education Consultant
Just the mere mention of
the acronym FAFSA. for
Free Application for Federal
Student Aid, to the parents
of a college age student
strikes fear in their hearts.
Fear not. It is not as diffi-
cult to complete as it once
was.
Three years ago, the FAF-
SA was an online document
with more than 100 ques-
tions. Today, it consists of
fewer than 20 questions and,
if you have all the data avail-
able, can be completed in
about 20 minutes.
Information needed
to complete the FAFSA
www.fafsa.ed.gov
Student information
ä Marital status
ä Citizenship and state residen-
cy
ä Education history
ä Major course of study
ä Expected course workload
ä Interest in student loans and
work study
ä Income taxes and deductions
(including spouse’s)
ä Spouse’s income
ä Assets
ä Dependency status
ä Household
ä List of schools you are inter-
ested in attending
Parent information
ä Level of education
ä Income taxes and deductions
ä Household assets
ä Family members
ä State residency
ä Age
Submit the FAFSA as
soon as possible. Do not wait
until your taxes are done. Al-
though it is better to do your
taxes early, it is okay to use
tual values. K
that if you wait
may miss state
Most states req
SA to be s
March 1, and s
early as early
ary.
Everyone, re
come, should
FAFSA. You wil
if you qualify fo
unless you c
form. One more
out the FA
schools will not
plicants for c
and scholarship
not applied for f
State Grant
you complete
you will receiv
via email on c
State Grant For
complete this f
gible to receive
Everyone sho
this form.
Don’t delay,
not completed
yet, make time
Sue McLaug
Sharon High
guidance couns
vate college cons
available to wo
school juniors a
navigate the col
cluding applicati
aid and scholars
be reached at
or via email
ner53@yahoo.co
Help is availabl
college aid proc
The
Outlook
A community
point of view
HERMITAGE