Virtual event featured speakers from the University, Westmoreland County, the Richard King Mellon Foundation and more, as well as a unique sneak peek inside the eventual building.
A rendering of the Digital Foundry at New Kensington, a state-of-the-art digital innovation lab to be built in New Kensington, PA and open by the end of 2021. The project is a partnership between Penn State New Kensington and the Economic Growth Connection of Westmoreland. The building is designed by R3A Architecture of Pittsburgh.
Kevin Snider, chancellor of Penn State New Kensington and seated at the WPSU studios, leads a panel discussion during the virtual groundbreaking of the Digital Foundry at New Kensington on Oct. 28. The project, a collaborative initiative of the campus and the Economic Growth Connection of Westmoreland, was awarded $5.5 million from the Richard King Mellon Foundation. Panelists during the event included (clockwise from top left of the television screen): Jozef Petrak, manager of design at R3A Architecture; Jim Smith, president of the Economic Growth Connection of Westmoreland; Sam Reiman, director of the Richard King Mellon Foundation; Jason Rigone, executive director of the Westmoreland County Industrial Development Corporation; and Sherri McCleary, director of the Digital Foundry at New Kensington.
Sherri McCleary has been named the inaugural director of the Digital Foundry at New Kensington, a state-of-the-art digital lab, which is a partnership between Penn State New Kensington and the Economic Growth Connection of Westmoreland. McCleary brings more than 30 years of leadership and experience in manufacturing, engineering and technology to her newest role.
Penn State has updated its public COVID-19 dashboard with the University's on-demand testing and random testing results from tests administered during the period of Oct. 2 to 4, as well as new University testing results from the prior week. These numbers are evolving as many test results are still pending, which will then be validated and uploaded.
Sundance Award-winning filmmakers Cristina Ibarra and Alex Rivera will participate in a discussion after an online screening of their film "The Infiltrators" at 6:30 p.m. this Friday, October 9, open to all campuses and their communities. The event is co-presented by the Latina/o Studies Program and Penn State’s Sustainability Institute as part of the "Intersections: How We Respond" film series and Penn State’s Hispanic Heritage Month. Attendees can sign up at: intersections.psu.edu/the-infiltrators.
Plans for Penn State’s Spring 2021 semester, announced Oct. 4, include a later start in January; continuation of the current flexible instructional modes, including in-person; the elimination of spring break; and completion of instruction for all undergraduate and graduate students by April 30. The University will maintain its observance of Martin Luther King Jr. day on Jan. 18 for students and faculty, when no classes will be held and Dr. King’s legacy will be celebrated through a number of virtual events.
Penn State released its preliminary coronavirus testing results for the period of Sept. 25 to Oct. 1 on its COVID-19 dashboard today (Oct. 2). Among students tested at the University Park campus whose test results have been processed, Penn State received 285 positive results from its on-demand testing and 12 positive results from its random testing program.
Online applications for the program are being accepted through mid-October. Chosen participants will receive access to personalized business evaluations, coaching, learning opportunities and more.
