The second annual Run for Women at Penn State Behrend began at 8 a.m. on Aug. 27, near the entrance to the Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Center. A total of 180 people registered for the event, which was sponsored by the Women’s Engagement Council at Behrend.
The 3.1-mile course looped through Behrend’s Knowledge Park. At the finish line, runners and walkers celebrated with Penn State Berkey Creamery Ice Cream.
“Women often give a lot to a lot of different people in their lives,” said Heather Cass, the publications manager at Behrend and the organizer of the Run for Women. “This is something they can do for themselves.”
Cass, a longtime runner, founded and directed the Her Times 5K race in Erie for 15 years. She moved the event to Behrend after the Women’s Engagement Council formed in 2020.
“For a lot of women, this is their very first foray into any sort of running or walking,” she said. “When they finish it, they feel, ‘If I can accomplish that, what else can I accomplish?’”
The run/walk will become a signature event for the Women’s Engagement Council, which was formed in 2020. Two dozen women sit on the board of directors, and membership in the general council is growing since it opened in 2022.
“Behrend values diversity, equity, and inclusion, and WEC was developed to be a resource to the college, to offer a woman’s perspective and voice,” said Melanie Ford, president of the WEC board and director of Youth Education Outreach at the college. “Behrend’s leadership has embraced our vision, and we look forward to growing our network of women.”
The council’s mission is four-fold: to encourage women to become more actively involved in the life of the college; to serve as a resource for Behrend students; to enhance the personal and professional goals of its members, and to showcase Behrend’s accomplishments, particularly those related to women’s achievements.
2023 Results
The top three finishers were: Kelli Proctor (20:55), Sarah McHale (21:06), and Baylee Dernar (21:38). Top male finishers were: James Walker (22:36), Justice Greene (22:44), and Joshua Shaw (25:23).
Complete race results can be found at Big White Trailer Timing.
2023 Race Photos
See photos from the 2023 Run for Women 5K at the event's Facebook page.
Save The Date
The 3rd annual Run for Women 5K is scheduled for Sunday, August 25, 2024.