Mackinly "Mack" Adams appears on the screen of a Beam telepresence robot in Penn State New Kensington's Forum Theatre. Adams, who suffers from a rare form of actinic prurigo, is severely affected by sunlight and UV rays. The robot was used by Adams during New Student Days (NSD) in areas not yet converted to LED lighting. “It was very rewarding to see the excitement in his eyes when he got to see parts of the campus that he hadn’t been able to see prior to using the Beam,” said Jim Rounce, New Kensington’s director of information technology (IT).
Mackinly "Mack" Adams sits in the Penn State New Kensington theatre lobby with a laptop. Adams used the laptop to control a Beam telepresence robot so he could attend sessions of New Student Days (NSD) in areas not yet converted to LED lighting. The student, who has been diagnosed with a rare form of actinic prurigo, is severely affected by sunlight and UV rays.
Mackinly "Mack" Adams controls a Beam telepresence robot through a hallway at Penn State New Kensington. Adams, who suffers from a rare form of actinic prurigo, attended some portions of New Student Days (NSD) via the robot for areas not converted to LED lighting. The robot was acquired by the campus' biobehavioral health program (BBH) for distance learning initiatives. “Having the opportunity to utilize emerging technology to improve a student’s experience was very rewarding, and it reminded me why I got into education in the first place,” said Jim Rounce, director of information technology at the campus.
Mackinly Adams, left, and his mother, Kelly, speak with others in the Blissell Library at Penn State New Kensington during New Student Orientation (NSO). “I was really happy because I wanted this experience,” said Adams. “I feel like that for college, you need the face-to-face interaction, and there’s so many people that are going through the same thing that if you need help, you can find that here.” Adams, who was diagnosed with a rare form of actinic prurigo, is severely affected by sunlight and ultraviolet (UV) light.
Mackinly "Mack" Adams, center, attends a New Student Orientation (NSO) at Penn State New Kensington. “He’s never out of the house this long where he isn’t red and miserable by this time during the day,” said his mother, Kelly Adams. The first-year student suffers from a rare, sunlight-induced disease known as actinic prurigo and has not been in a conventional school setting since the fourth grade.
Mackinly "Mack" Adams sits in the Forum Theatre Lobby of Penn State New Kensington. The first-year student, with a rare form of actinic prurigo, has not been in a conventional school setting since the fourth grade.
A United Way Day of Caring volunteer sign in front of a volunteer team of faculty and staff members from Penn State New Kensington. The campus team spent the annual Day of Caring painting a hospitality building at Northmoreland Park in Apollo, Pa. The event also coincided with the campus' Week of Service event.
Penn State New Kensington staff and faculty members participated in the annual United Way Day of Caring on Sept. 14. The campus team spent the day painting a hospitality center at Northmoreland Park in Apollo, Pa. The Day of Caring was also part of the campus' Week of Service. Participating campus members included: Adam Robinson, learning center coordinator; Ashley Traini, financial aid coordinator; Kerrie Coleman, assistant teaching professor in nursing; Rebecca Dietrich, multimedia specialist; Corinne Coulson, manager of strategic communications and marketing; Kary Milan, director of development and alumni relations; and Jason Bush, director of business and finance.
Penn State New Kensington staff and faculty members participated in the annual United Way Day of Caring on Sept. 14. The campus team spent the day painting a hospitality center at Northmoreland Park in Apollo, Pa. The Day of Caring was also part of the campus' Week of Service. Participating campus members included: Adam Robinson, learning center coordinator; Ashley Traini, financial aid coordinator; Kerrie Coleman, assistant teaching professor in nursing; Rebecca Dietrich, multimedia specialist; Corinne Coulson, manager of strategic communications and marketing; Kary Milan, director of development and alumni relations; and Jason Bush, director of business and finance.
Kary Milan, director of Development and Alumni Relations, left, and Rebecca Dietrich, multimedia specialist, joined other Penn State New Kensington staff and faculty members for the annual United Way Day of Caring on Sept. 14. The campus team spent the day painting a hospitality center at Northmoreland Park in Apollo, Pa. The Day of Caring was also part of the campus' Week of Service.
