Distinguished professor, pipe major, and talented quilter.
There’s much more to Penn State Behrend’s faculty and staff members than what you see on campus. In this occasional series, we’ll take a look at some of the interesting, unconventional, and inspiring things that members of our Behrend community do in their free time.
NAME: Dr. Pam Silver
DAY JOB: Distinguished professor of biology, Penn State Behrend
SIDE GIG: Pipe Major, 96th Highlanders Pipes & Drums Corp
If Dr. Pam Silver’s childhood had a soundtrack, it would be the humming drone and romantic skirl of the bagpipes.
“My earliest memories are of following my mother around the yard as she walked back and forth playing bagpipes,” she said.
It wasn’t long before Silver was squeezing her own set of pipes under her tiny arm.
“I started taking lessons when I was 7 and got my first pipes when I was 9,” Silver said. “I’ve been playing ever since.”
Today, she is the Pipe Major of the 96th Highlanders Pipes & Drums, a pipe and drum corps that represents Jamestown and Chautauqua County, New York, at parades, festivals, and special events throughout the year.
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