Penn State Behrend presented the college’s highest award, the Behrend Medallion, to former Gov. Tom Ridge, a longtime Congressman from Erie who also served as the first secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Behrend Medallion Awarded to Tom Ridge
This summer, Penn State Behrend presented the college’s highest award, the Behrend Medallion, to former Gov. Tom Ridge, a longtime Congressman from Erie who also served as the first secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The medallion was presented at the college’s annual Glenhill Appreciation Dinner, where Ridge was introduced by friend Thomas Hagen, chairman of the board of Erie Insurance Group.
In introducing Ridge at the dinner, Hagen, who received the Behrend Medallion in 2018, said, “Tom serves by being a conscience for all in the public sphere—a reminder that, despite our differences and disagreements, nothing is ever solved without respect, compromise and, above all, civility.”
A 1972 graduate of Penn State Dickinson Law, Ridge was the first Vietnam War combat veteran to serve in the U.S. Congress. He was elected to six terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1994, he was elected governor of Pennsylvania, winning re-election in 1998.
Ridge has been a longtime supporter of Penn State Behrend. As governor, he approved the original funding for the college’s Knowledge Park, and he was instrumental in securing $30 million in funding for the Jack Burke Research and Economic Development Center.
In the wake of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks, Ridge became the first secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Today, he is chairman of Ridge Global, a consulting firm that provides solutions to risk-management issues, including cybersecurity and international security.
Penn State Behrend’s Federal House was selected for a 2023 Architectural Excellence Design Award.
Federal House Project Wins Architectural Award
The Pennsylvania chapter of the American Institute of Architects selected Penn State Behrend’s Federal House for a 2023 Architectural Excellence Design Award. The project, which was led by a design team at GBBN Architects, was one of five in the state selected for an AIA “honor award.”
The $6.6 million renovation and expansion of the Federal House began in 2021, preserving an original building believed to be the oldest brick structure in Harborcreek Township and incorporating a modern addition. A glass-walled walkway with office suites connects the two sections. The new portion of the building includes classrooms, collaborative meeting rooms, and a 100-person event space.
“So many times, when you add to an existing or historic building, the presence of that building gets lost or muddled,” said one of the jurors who reviewed the AIA award nominees. “In this case, it was kept as pure and pristine as possible. Then, the building was allowed to change as it turned the corner and went up the hill.”
The Federal House project created a new home for the Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Community Outreach, Research and Evaluation (CORE), which provides school and community programs to more than 3,000 youth in the Erie region every year as well as evaluation services to youth-related organizations.
STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System
Behrend Shines Bright
College earns silver STARS rating for sustainability efforts
Penn State Behrend recently earned a silver rating from STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System. The designation, which is valid for three years, is a measure of the college’s work toward environmental, social, and economic sustainability.
Behrend previously held a bronze rating from STARS, which is a program of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. No other college in northwestern Pennsylvania holds a STARS rating.
The college’s initial rating in 2020 provided a baseline assessment of Behrend’s sustainability work, which is viewed through five primary categories: academics, engagement, operations, planning and administration, and innovation and leadership.
Board of Trustees Visits Behrend
The University’s Board of Trustees held its summer 2023 meeting at Penn State Behrend. The visit gave Chancellor Ralph Ford an opportunity to share Behrend’s progress on a number of strategic fronts and the college’s vision for the future, which includes building on our Open Lab model of learning and discovery, on programs and initiatives to inspire student success, and on our growing research enterprise.
“We see Behrend as an Open Lab, a collaborative space where learning and discovery are applied in novel ways that benefit not only our students, who gain career- building, real-world experience, but also our partners in business, industry, and the nonprofit community, who tap into that energy and ingenuity,” said Ford.
The two-day visit included a community dinner with remarks by Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi (pictured at right), Chair of the Board of Trustees Matthew Schuyler (pictured above left with Trustee Emeritus Robert Metzgar), and Chancellor Ford. Additional events, meetings, and tours provided the opportunity for students, faculty, staff, and members of the college’s Council of Fellows to showcase Penn State Behrend’s strengths and distinctions.
AACSB Accreditation Extended
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) has extended its accreditation of the Black School of Business at Penn State Behrend until 2028. The extension follows an intensive site visit and review by an AACSB Peer Review Team.
Fewer than 6 percent of all colleges and universities obtain AACSB accreditation. The process recognizes business schools that excel in learning and teaching, strategic management and innovation, academic and professional engagement, and active participation by students, faculty, and staff.
The Black School of Business was first accredited by AACSB in 2003. To maintain accreditation, schools must undergo a review every five years.
Company to Build Manufacturing Center in Knowledge Park
Kyocera AVX, a global manufacturer of advanced electronic components, plans to build an approximately 50,000-squarefoot production facility in Knowledge Park at Penn State Behrend. The facility will serve as a corporate headquarters and manufacturing base for a new division created by Kyocera’s purchase of Bliley Technologies, an Erie-based manufacturer of crystal oscillators and low-noise frequency-control products for the aerospace, defense, and commercial satellite industries.
“This new manufacturing hub will align with and advance Project RESOLVE,” Chancellor Ralph Ford said. “Kyocera AVX sees value in being part of our campus and having access to our Open Lab resources, including laboratories, faculty expertise, and a consistent pipeline of student and graduate talent.”
The new building will support Kyocera’s efforts to expand into vehicle electrification and battery-charging technology—a focus of Behrend’s Project RESOLVE, a regional manufacturing strategy and a planned Center for Manufacturing Competitiveness in Knowledge Park.
Wattle fencing is a more naturally attractive, sustainable form of fencing.
Gorge Trail Improvements Continue
Phase Two of trail improvements in Wintergreen Gorge was recently completed, extending the aggregate-topped path to Trout Run. The compacted aggregate surface is porous, allowing rain to penetrate it, but solid enough to make the trail more accessible to visitors in wheelchairs and those pushing strollers. A new boardwalk protects a marshy area near Fourmile Creek, and wattle fencing discourages users from creating additional footpaths that can damage vegetation and trees and cause erosion along the creek bank.
Phase Three of the improvement plan will entail removal of a culvert and creation of a bridge across Trout Run. That phase will begin once funding is secured, possibly in the fall of 2024.
Alumni Honored
Thomas C. Hoffman II
Thomas C. Hoffman II ’88, an attorney with the Erie firm of Knox McLaughlin Gornall & Sennett who began his college career at Penn State Behrend, was recently named one of thirteen Penn State Alumni Fellows for 2023.
The lifelong title of Alumni Fellow is the highest award given by the Penn State Alumni Association.
As a lawyer and certified public accountant, Hoffman has represented thousands of companies and individuals on business, estate, trust, and tax matters. He helped found the Knox Law Institute, through which he contributes to programs on topics such as business succession planning, estate planning, and tax law.
Hoffman was integral in establishing Penn State Behrend’s Center for Family Business, an outreach effort of the Black School of Business. He also serves on Behrend’s Council of Fellows Board of Directors and the University’s Planned Giving Advisory Council.
In the Erie community, Hoffman is a founding board member of the Erie Center for Arts and Technology, serves on the board of the Hagen History Center, and is a past executive board member of the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership.
Hoffman and his wife, Paula ’87, live in Erie and are life members of the Alumni Association. They have three children—Christine ’19, Paul ’20, and Thomas III ’20.
Mary Good Lawrence
Mary Good Lawrence ‘01, deputy manager of the International Space Station Vehicle Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, has been named the 2023 recipient of Penn State Behrend’s Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award.
The award is presented annually to a Behrend graduate who has made significant contributions to their profession, their community and the college.
Lawrence graduated from Penn State Behrend in 2001 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. She began her NASA career in 2002 as a member of the flight control team, later moving into operations lead roles for the International Space Station.
In her current role, she is responsible for maintaining Space Station systems to ensure the safety of seven astronauts as they orbit 200 miles above the Earth. She previously served as one of about thirty NASA flight directors responsible for managing operations for all human spaceflight programs. In 2018, she received the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal for actions as the lead flight director for the 54th expedition to the Space Station.
During her time at Penn State Behrend, Lawrence was a member of the women’s volleyball team and the first-ever women’s water polo team. She was inducted into Behrend’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010. She served as the keynote speaker at the college’s Richard J. Fasenmyer Engineering Design Conference in 2016 and delivered Behrend’s commencement address in 2019.
Lawrence lives in League City, Texas, with her husband, Andrew Lawrence, a 2000 Penn State alumnus, and their children, Alene and Samuel.
In Memoriam
Rev. Charles Brock
Rev. Charles Brock, a retired Penn State Behrend faculty member and community advocate, died November 1, 2023. He was 88.
Brock was born and raised in Erie and subsequently received degrees from Carnegie Mellon, Harvard, and Oxford universities. After returning to Erie from Oxford, where he served as a fellow, chaplain, and teacher of theology for thirty-five years, he taught courses in comparative religion at Behrend. He was particularly proud of the course Mega Issues, which he developed and taught with colleagues from all four of Behrend’s academic schools, examining complex issues affecting the world. He founded both the Brock Institute on the American Dream and the Public Policy Initiative in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Lincoln Brock; three stepchildren; and nine step-grandchildren.
Richard "Dick" Mester
Richard “Dick” Mester, a retired assistant professor of logic and philosophy, died November 16, 2023. He was 84.
Mester was born in Chicago and attended Notre Dame Preparatory school and studied for the monastic life. After taking simple vows, he became Brother Phillip, O.P. After leaving the monastery, he began a long teaching career, first at St. Catherine’s College, then at Penn State Behrend, where he taught courses in philosophy for more than forty years. He was a beloved teacher and academic adviser.
He is survived by his wife, Cathy, a retired Penn State Behrend lecturer in speech communication; his two children, Cari Ann and Clark; and two grandchildren.
Brent Crandall
Brent Crandall, supervisor of trades maintenance and mechanical work, died December 28, 2023, after a long battle with cancer. He was 53.
Crandall joined Behrend in 2011 after many years as an electrician with a regional electrical contractor. He was an avid dirt track racecar driver, competing in the Super Sportsman and Pro Stock Division at Eriez Speedway and Stateline Speedway for nearly 25 years.
Crandall is survived by his wife, Carol, who works in Housing and Food Services, and three children, Olivia, Ben, and Nick, all graduates of Penn State Behrend.
Eric Obert
Eric Obert, retired associate director of Pennsylvania Sea Grant, died December 28, 2023. He was 72.
Obert earned a Biology degree from Penn State, began his career with the Pennsylvania Fish Commission and later worked for the Department of Environmental Protection before joining Pennsylvania Sea Grant, administered by Penn State Behrend.
He was an avid fisherman and could often be found on an area lake in his boat. After his retirement, Obert stayed connected to his work community by serving on the Presque Isle Park Advisory Committee.
He is survived by four children and fifteen grandchildren.
Dr. Dipo Onipede
Dr. Dipo Onipede, associate professor of mechanical engineering, died January 9. He was 63.
Onipede earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Columbia University and a doctorate from UCLA. He joined the School of Engineering as a faculty member in 2003 and also recently served as associate director of academics for the school. He was highly engaged as a professor, adviser, and mentor, guiding many students in their academic studies and providing counsel to other faculty members as well. He was known for his calm, kind, and gentle nature.
Onipede is survived by his wife, Selin; daughter, Yeshim; and son, Kerem. The School of Engineering is working to establish a scholarship fund in Onipede’s memory. Anyone wishing to contribute to the fund can do so at https://raise.psu.edu/DipoMemorial.