Two groups of students from Penn State DuBois embarked on two separate service trips over this year's spring break.  Rather than spending their time on a beach, or partying, the two groups, made up of  more than 30 campus students, used the time to help others in need.  The campus Student Life Office organized one trip, which took student volunteers to Tuba City, Arizona, where they volunteered on the Navajo Reservation.  The Christian Student Fellowship (CSF) led the other service group, which traveled to Joplin, Missouri to assist in cleaning up and rebuilding the city in the wake of the devastating tornado that hit there in May of last year.

At the Navajo Nation, the Penn State students served Navajo children in their local school, the Tuba City Boarding School, by tutoring them in their basic subjects.  It's something the administrators at the school say is essential, because lifestyles on the reservation offer little time for study outside of school.  They also offered the Navajo children new cultural experiences, just through interacting with them and getting to know them.  As Penn State DuBois Student Life Coordinator Marly Doty noted, life for the Navajo is very different from what the Penn State students know, so the learning experiences were two-sided. Doty, as well as adjunct instructor Bill Allenbaugh and wife, Nancy, accompanied students on the trip.

"It was wonderful to watch our students and the Navajo children work together in a cultural infusion where both left a better person, with broadened perspectives," Doty said.  "The Navajo students really need someone to believe in them and to give them that extra boost in their academics. It’s hard to focus on school when some are responsible for their younger siblings or getting by without running water or electricity."

"This trip was one of the single-most amazing adventures of my life," said student Owen Samuels. "The service done for the Tuba City Boarding School gave me an entirely new perspective of childhood education, as well as an intimate portrait of the Navajo children." 

In Joplin, the experiences were no less life changing for those involved. There, students helped families who are still struggling to get their lives back in order nearly a year after a tornado leveled most for their town.  Homes, businesses, and forests were all leveled throughout Joplin on May 22, 2011. 

"People told us stories that were almost like war stories," said campus minister Kyle Gordon, who, along with International and Multicultural Student Services Coordinator Tharren Thompson, led the CSF on their mission to Missouri. Gordon continued, "We worked with one family who was stopped at a red light in their car when the tornado hit, and it carried them a half mile down the road."

Gordon, Thompson, and the students helped the Joplin residents by working to refurbish damaged buildings. They installed drywall, replaced porches, and did other general construction projects. They also helped to build new homes by framing walls for the new structures.

Students also helped bring the town back to life by planting trees.  Once plentiful in the area, the tornado left almost no trees standing it its path.  Gordon said, "A lot of the area still looks like an open field.  It used to all be forested; now you can step out of someone's door and see houses that you never could have seen before." 

Gordon and Thompson said they are both proud of the work the students did in Joplin, and happy that they had the experiences that they did.

"The people were thankful that the students gave up their spring break to help them; that they gave up spring break to get callused hands and tired backs.  But, trips like this are just as much of a ministry to those who go on them as they are to those who need help.  It shows hope beyond community service for everyone."

"The value of a trip like this for students is that they get to experience, fist hand, the tragedy you see on the news," said Thompson.  "It's one thing to see it on TV, but having been there, the impact is greater, and it shows how great their impact can be, and inspires them to keep serving others." 

Penn State DuBois has been named to The President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for the second time, for outstanding service in the year 2011. The campus has been honored by The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and the U.S. Department of Education for being among the nation’s leading colleges and universities with a strong commitment of its students, faculty members, and staff to bettering communities through community service and service learning.

Penn State DuBois was admitted to the Honor Roll for its work in community service, education, environmental stewardship, and more. The campus was first named to the Honor Roll in 2010.

"Through service, these institutions are creating the next generation of leaders by challenging students to tackle tough issues and create positive impacts in the community," said Robert Velasco, Acting CEO of CNCS. "We applaud the Honor Roll schools, their faculty and students for their commitment to making service a priority in and out of the classroom. Together, service and learning increase civic engagement while fostering social innovation among students, empowering them to solve challenges within their communities."

"Preparing students to participate in our democracy and providing them with opportunities to take on local and global issues in their course work are as central to the mission of education as boosting college completion and closing the achievement gap," said Eduardo Ochoa, the U.S. Department of Education’s assistant secretary for postsecondary education.  "The Honor Roll schools should be proud of their work to elevate the role of service-learning on their campuses.   Galvanizing their students to become involved in projects that address pressing concerns and enrich their academic experience has a lasting impact – both in the communities in which they work and on their own sense of purpose as citizens of the world. I hope we’ll see more and more colleges and universities following their lead."

The President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll recognizes higher education institutions that reflect the values of exemplary community service and achieve meaningful outcomes in their communities. Inspired by the thousands of college students who traveled across the country to support relief efforts along the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina, the initiative celebrates the transformative power and volunteer spirit that exists within the higher education community.

Penn State DuBois students were among those who traveled to the Gulf Coast to help rebuild communities following Katrina. Other contributions Penn State DuBois has made to community service include mission trips to tornado-ravaged Joplin, Missouri and the Navajo Nation in Arizona. Students also participate in the Martin Luther King Day of Service each year, when they spend the holiday volunteering with charities.  Additionally, club events such as an annual haunted house and Breakfast with Santa provide family entertainment in the community, while raising funds for local causes. 

"Great pride is the first thought that came to my mind in learning that the campus had been named to the 2011 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll," said Chancellor Anita McDonald.  "Penn State DuBois has had a long tradition of community engagement and service and I am very pleased that the students, faculty and staff have received this prestigious national recognition for their hard work and commitment to serving the people of our region, and beyond." 

The Corporation for National and Community Service, which has administered the Honor Roll since 2006, admitted a total of 642 schools, colleges and universities for their impact on issues from literacy and neighborhood revitalization to supporting at-risk youth. Of that total, 513 were named to the Honor Roll, and 110 received the recognition of Honor Roll with distinction.  For a full list of recipients, visit www.NationalService.gov/HonorRoll

For those who haven't taken his classes, mathematics Instructor John Tolle is known around the Penn State DuBois Campus as "the guy with the beard".  The beard hangs well below his chest, and is matched by the long hair on his head, that is usually worn in a ponytail.        

Now, after years of letting it all grow out, Tolle has agreed to put all of his hair on the line in support of THON, the Penn State dance marathon that benefits pediatric cancer research. He has volunteered to participate in the annual THON Hair Auction at Penn State DuBois. Those who attend the auction can place bids for the opportunity to cut the hair of those who volunteer.  Knowing his beard and locks would could bring big money, Tolle offered them up, under the agreement that $1,000 must be raised for the hair cut event before he consents to going under the shears.

"If they meet their goal, they can do whatever they want to me, from the neck up.  It's going to be fun," Tolle said, explaining that once the $1,000 mark is reached, he's willing to let the amateur barbers do anything they please.

Tolle said the decision to allow his many years-worth of beard and hair to be removed was easy when he considered the cause, and the students who are the driving force behind it.  He said, "Penn State DuBois students are an inspiring group, committed to the kind of personal improvement and character development that makes our world a better place, one person at a time.  THON, in particular, is a cause near and dear to their hearts.  This year I thought I'd offer more than just a round of applause for all their hard work."

The DuBois THON Committee supports the efforts of THON that reach throughout all of Penn State.  Money raised by THON is donated, each year, to the Four Diamonds Fund, a leader in the support of childhood cancer research.  University-wide, THON raised over $9.5 million last year.  Penn State DuBois contributed a campus record of nearly $14,000 to that total. 

The Hair Auction to Benefit THON is scheduled for noon, on Friday, February 10, in the Student Union at Penn State DuBois.  All members of the public are welcome to join students at the event.

The Rock-A-THON will take place all weekend from January 20, through the 22. Penn State DuBois students, staff members, and faculty members will take their post in rocking chairs at businesses throughout the area and accept donations for "rocking" all weekend long.  Volunteers will rock from 8:00 a.m. on Friday, until 5:00 p.m. Sunday. 

A benefit concert, featuring several local bands, to raise money for THON will begin at

4:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 21, at the Clarion Hotel in DuBois.  The event is expected to wrap up around 11:00 p.m. The cost is $5 per person.  A raffle for prizes donated from local businesses will also be held.  This is an alcohol free event.

Bands performing for the benefit show include Chessie and the Kittens, Woodsy's Punx, Divider, Artica, Between Us and Them, Ivyside, Wait For It, A Plague Upon Us, and Trophies. 

The dine-out event, Luigi's and THON Fighting Childhood Cancer, is scheduled from 12:00 Noon until 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 22, at Luigi's Restaurant in DuBois.  Luigi's will donate a portion of the proceeds from all purchases made at the restaurant that day to THON.  A silent auction will also run throughout the day, and raffle tickets will be available for purchase.

The DuBois THON Committee supports the efforts of THON that reach throughout all of Penn State.  Money raised by THON is donated, each year, to the Four Diamonds Fund, a leader in the support of childhood cancer research.  University-wide, THON raised over $9.5 million last year.  Penn State DuBois contributed a campus record of nearly $14,000 to that total.  This year, THON is scheduled to take place from February 17, through February 19, at the Bryce Jordan Center at University Park.  At that time, student dancers from across the university will attempt to stay on their feet for 46 hours in support of efforts to find a cure for childhood cancer.  

For updates on where and when all Penn State DuBois THON related events are taking place, follow the group on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/180923598650108/

The doors will open to the public at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 21, at the Clarion Hotel in DuBois.  The event is expected to wrap up around 11:00 p.m. The cost is $5 per person.  A raffle for prizes donated from local businesses will also be held.  This is an alcohol free event.

Bands performing for the benefit show include Chessie and the Kittens, Woodsy's Punx, Divider, Artica, Between Us and Them, Ivyside, Wait For It, A Plague Upon Us, and Trophies. 

The DuBois THON Committee supports the efforts of THON that reach throughout all of Penn State.  Money raised by THON is donated, each year, to the Four Diamonds Fund, a leader in the support of childhood cancer research.  University-wide, THON raised over $9.5 million last year.  Penn State DuBois contributed a campus record of nearly $14,000 to that total.  This year, THON is scheduled to take place from February 17, through February 19, at the Bryce Jordan Center at University Park.  At that time, student dancers from across the university will attempt to stay on their feet for 46 hours in support of efforts to find a cure for childhood cancer.  

For updates on where and when all Penn State DuBois THON related events are taking place, follow the group on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/180923598650108/

"Congratulations to Penn State DuBois and its students for their dedication to service and commitment to improving their local communities," said Patrick Corvington, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. "Our nation’s students are a critical part of the equation and vital to our efforts to tackle the most persistent challenges we face. They have achieved impactful results and demonstrated the value of putting knowledge into practice to help renew America through service."

Honorees are chosen based on a series of selection factors including the scope and innovation of service projects, percentage of student participation in service activities, incentives for service, and the extent to which the school offers academic service learning. 

"Great pride is the first thought that came to my mind in learning that the campus had been named to the 2010 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll," said Chancellor Anita McDonald.  "Penn State DuBois has had a long tradition of community engagement and service and I am very pleased that the students, faculty and staff have received this prestigious national recognition for their hard work and commitment to serving our region." 

Some of the contributions Penn State DuBois has made to community service include the Martin Luther King Day of Service, where students spend the holiday volunteering with charities.  Club events such as an annual haunted house and Breakfast with Santa provide family entertainment in the community, while raising funds for local causes.  Also, many students have provided their own skills and talents to directly impact the community through personal interaction.  Students in the Occupational Therapy Assistant program, for example, spent 1,050 hours last year volunteering at elementary schools to instruct children in handwriting enrichment.  All told, Penn State DuBois students logged 5,613 hours of service or service-learning hours last year.

Nation-wide, college students make a significant contribution to the volunteer sector; in 2009, 3.16 million students performed more than 300 million hours of service, according to the Volunteering in America study released by the Corporation. Each year, the Corporation invests more than $150 million in fostering a culture of service on college campuses through grants awarded by its programs; the education awards that AmeriCorps members receive at the conclusion of their term of service to pay for college; and through support of training, research, recognition, and other initiatives to spur college service.

The Corporation oversees the Honor Roll in collaboration with the Department of Education, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact and the American Council on Education.

For more information, and a complete list of institutions recognized by the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, visit www.nationalservice.gov

DuBois – Occupational Therapy (OT) students at Penn State DuBois already pursue a career that is about helping people.  The training they receive in the OT curriculum will prepare them for administering therapy to people who have been injured, or suffer from debilitating illnesses.  To take it a step further, OT students recently made a donation to another organization that is built on helping others.

Throughout the month of April Students gathered adaptive equipment to donate to the Clearfield County Society for Handicapped/Disabled Citizens (CCSHDC).  The equipment included hospital beds, walkers, wheelchairs, bath tub benches, portable toilets, wheelchairs and crutches.

"They collect all kinds of equipment, clean it up, and donate it to any individual who has need for it," said OT instructor LuAnn Demi, explaining the mission of the CCSHDC.  "It is completely free of charge for the individual.  They only need to fill out paperwork that says they will return the equipment when they no longer need it."

Demi noted that the project was important to students at the OT department because of the demand for such equipment in the area, saying, "When I called to ask if our club could assist, they were very excited.  They said they have waiting lists for some equipment and could really use more.  So, it was definitely a good will project that our students took part in."

Student Lindsey Anderson agreed.  "For myself I wanted to complete this project to show the importance of an organization like the one in Clearfield," Anderson said.  "I think that it is a great organization to help citizens in a time of need with no questions asked.  I also believe that having this organization relieves some stress about getting equipment on the person and their family in a time of need."

DuBois – Some students at Penn State DuBois turned their class project into a way to support people in need in the DuBois area.  It started when Professor Ben Park assigned students to complete a Social Change Project for his sociology class.  Students Andie Graham, Jackie Penland and Greg Stanik worked together on the group project, and decided to focus on rural poverty.  The results helped to provide food and shelter to members of the community.

"As part of the project we conducted a food drive on campus," Graham said.  She explained that as a member of several student organizations she was able to get more people involved.  "To help with the food drive, the Delta Mu Sigma Honor Society organized another food drive at Shop 'n Save, collecting canned goods from shoppers."

All of the food collected was then donated to the DuBois Area Food Bank on Jared Street in DuBois.  An estimated 700 items, with an approximate value of more than $1,000 was donated.

Graham and Stanik said their project didn't stop there.  "We also got members of Delta Mu Sigma, the Campus Democrats, the ECO Club and Earth and Science Club involved with the Habitat for Humanity Volunteer Day," said Graham.  She noted that Delta Mu Sigma also donated a wheelbarrow to Habitat for Humanity, and the Campus Democrats donated a post hole digger. 

DuBois – Students at Penn State DuBois are giving back to the community by donating supplies, and their time, to an area shelter.  The Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) Club has donated painting supplies to Haven House of DuBois.  Additionally, members of the Student Government Association (SGA) have volunteered to do the painting at the shelter.

"One of the most important things the HDFS Club focuses on is community service," said club president Brenda McGarvey, who noted that the club secured the painting supplies through a donation from the DuBois Wal-Mart. 

Haven House manager Kelli Williams said the shelter is available to people who have become homeless due to circumstances that are out of their control.  She said many of her guests include victims of fire or natural disaster, and people who have lost their homes due to foreclosures caused by job loss.  Williams said staff at Haven House work with these guests to help them get back on their feet as quickly as possible, so that they can move on to their own home once again.

"We want to revitalize the house and keep it at its best for our guests," Williams said.  "Maintaining a good atmosphere really helps them."

SGA member Aimie Nestlerode said 11 student government representatives volunteered to do the painting at Haven House.

"I just believe that groups like SGA should do things like this for the community," said Nestlerode.  "Plus, it builds character."

DuBois – Porcupines are well known for their sharp quills, which can cause significant damage to people and animals.  However, a Penn State DuBois student has found that the unapproachable creature can cause just as much damage to property by using its teeth. 

Wildlife Technologies Student Andie Graham is conducting an ongoing study into the damage porcupines cause to structures along a Rails to Trails recreational path in Jefferson County.  She began in April of 2007 by assessing a five-mile stretch of the Brockway Rails to Trail system, known to host an abundance of porcupines.  

“Several damage hotspots were found, and included items such as plastic culverts and signs, and wooden bridges and mile marker posts,” Graham said.  Obvious the damage was caused by an animal, she then had to pin point the culprit.  “It was determined to be caused by porcupine and not beaver due to visible teeth and claw marks, and the lack of wood chips surrounding the damage.  Beavers only eat live vegetation, which also helped in determining that it was caused by porcupines,” she explained.   

Two bridges, constructed of pine, showed the most damage.  Graham discovered a fence, made of naturally rot-resistance black locust, in the same area showed no damage.  To prove the porcupines had a taste for pine and not for locust, Graham placed 40 test posts in the ground in that same area.   Half were pine, and half were black locust.  Ten of each type of post were left untreated, while ten of each type were sprayed with a repellent spray intended to ward off porcupines. 

Over months of weekly inspections Graham found she had proven her hypothesis. The black locust posts went untouched, while the pine had been chewed.  However, Graham is still searching for a way to preserve pine structures as well, and may be onto something.  

“The wood had been stripped from the pine posts and was found on the ground next to it,” Graham said. “Based on this information, the repellent seems to deter porcupines from consuming the posts, but not from damaging the posts.”  

Graham also has a theory as to why the porcupines are attracted to the pine structures in the first place.  “It’s important to note that all of the pine posts have been pressure treated with preservatives, some of which contain sodium,” she explained.  “Since porcupines are fond of salt, this could explain why they prefer the pressure treated pine over the untreated locust.” 

Graham’s work from this point on will involve experimentation with different types of repellents and investigating seasonal patterns of the animals.

DuBois – Students from Penn State DuBois did not have class on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but a group of them saw the day off as a chance to give back to communities.  Students from a group of nine Penn State campuses, including DuBois, gathered at Penn State Beaver in Center Township, near Pittsburgh.  From there they dispersed to communities in that area to perform various types of community service. 

Eighty students, in all, volunteered in soup kitchens, collected food for the less fortunate, and helped to remodel homes. 

“I like to volunteer and this was truly a rewarding experience,” said Penn State DuBois Student Crystal Vicklund.  “I am grateful for the opportunity to give back to the community on this national day of service.”

Penn State DuBois Student Life Coordinator Marly Greeley said she and her colleagues from the other campuses saw this as an opportunity to spread messages that King believed in.  “We talked to them about the importance of Martin Luther King Jr. and how he would want to see people doing community service and giving back,” she said. 

Greeley says representatives from the group of Penn State campuses look forward to taking on similar projects for Martin Luther King Jr. Day next year, in different communities.

DuBois – A research project involving Penn State DuBois faculty members and their students, Penn State Extension, and the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry could help to bring back a species of hardwood tree that was once a dominant tree in eastern US forests.  A rapidly spreading fungus, known as the chestnut blight, attacked the American chestnut tree in the early part of the 20^th Century.  Within a few years, the chestnut virtually disappeared from America’s forests.  

“This species accounted for one quarter of our hardwoods before its demise,” said Forestry Instructor Aaron Stottlemyer.”  One in every four trees was a chestnut. I can’t even wrap my head around that,” he said, noting the drastic impact this had on the forest landscape.  What's more, is the effect that the loss of the chestnut had on wildlife that largely depended on the trees for the food they produced.  “It was the largest producing food source in the forest,” Stottlemyer remarked.  “Its demise was among the most ecologically significant events of our time.” 

Stottlemyer hopes an equally significant event will occur with the return of the chestnut.  Groups like The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF), The Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, and Penn State University have been working on breeding a blight-resistant American chestnut.  By cross-breeding American chestnut with the already blight-resistant Chinese chestnut, scientists hope to produce a strain of American chestnuts that will be highly resistant to the blight.  Wildlife Technology students taking Stottlemyer’s forestry classes will contribute to this effort and gain valuable field experience.

Stottlemyer said Wildlife Technology students will plant 2,000 chestnut seeds on a 3.5 acre portion of reclaimed strip mine near Coal Glen, Jefferson County.  They’ll do this in cooperation with TACF, which owns the land. The study begins now, and future students in the Wildlife Technology program at Penn State DuBois will continue the research for years to come.  The study was spear-headed by Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry Forester and project leader, Gary Gilmore and has the objective of developing methods to effectively reforest land that has been strip mined. 

Soil compaction, Stottlemyer explained, could result in poor tree growth on former strip mine sites.  “Common reclamation practices that involve heavy machinery compact the soil and then the land is planted in heavy grass cover to reduce erosion,” he said.    He added, “We’re interested in whether tree growth can be improved by loosening soil and reducing competition with grasses for light, water, and nutrients.” 

Another possible reason for poor tree growth at such sites could be the impact of rodents and birds that eat seeds before they become established.  This is where Penn State DuBois Instructor of Wildlife Technology Keely Roen will join in the research project.  “The same students in Aaron’s class are in my Wildlife Techniques class,” she explains.  “At some point we’ll do a rodent survey.  We suspect the rodents and birds eat the seeds.”  In this way, two related disciplines are coming together for one cause.  “Wildlife biologists and foresters are closely tied,” said Roen.  “You can’t just care about wildlife or just care about the environment.  They go hand in hand.” 

The opportunity to work on different parts of an important research project in two different classes, Stottlemyer said, will be one of the most valuable experiences his students can get.  “We’re going to be able to involve our students in so much of this.  They’re contributing to an important research project and seeing how the things they learn in class are applied toward managing our natural resources.” 

 Ultimately, throughout this learning experience, students could be contributing to one of the most significant events in the history of their field.  As Roen said, “Can you imagine the enormous potential of this work?”  “Growing chestnuts on strip mined land would be incredible.”