Daily Brief
April 10, 2025
Student Wins PASSHE's 2025 Syed R. Ali-Zaidi Award
Kutztown University student and PA Air National Guard Staff Sergeant Aidan La Penta is the 2025 recipient of the Syed R. Ali-Zaidi Award for Academic Excellence from Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). The Board of Governors will honor La Penta during its quarterly meeting and present him with a $2,500 award. La Penta is majoring in Information Technology with a 3.9 GPA in Kutztown University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He also earned a cybersecurity certificate in the Criminal Justice program.
University Relations
FDI Lecture Series featuring Dr. SungEun Min
The Frederick Douglass Institute invites the campus community to attend the newest Lecture Series event "K-Pop, Culture, and Self-Discovery" facilitated by FDI Scholar Dr. SungEun Min 11 a.m. Thursday, April 10, Multicultural Center Unity Room. Q&A will directly follow the presentation. Building on last year's FDI lecture on the Korean Wave (Hallyu), Min will examine K-Pop’s global impact on identity, self-expression and mental health among both Korean and non-Korean people living in the United States. Drawing on lived experiences and insights from Koreans (including Min) and KU student fans, the discussion will highlight how these cultural forms influence personal and collective understandings of self in a transnational context. The session also considers themes such as cultural hybridity, and fandom and community.
Amber Jean-Marie Pabon, Frederick Douglass Institute
A Romantic Farewell: Concert for KU President Hawkinson and Mrs. Hayes-Hawkinson
Join us at 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 14, Schaeffer Auditorium, as we celebrate Dr. Kenneth Hawkinson, President of Kutztown University, and Mrs. Ann Marie Hayes-Hawkinson, honoring their years of service, unwavering dedication to the university and steadfast support of the music department. Featuring performances by esteemed faculty members, this concert is a heartfelt tribute to his support for the arts and our Kutztown University community.
Maya Strava Kokkinou, Department of Music
Weather
Weather forecasts are provided by KU's Dr. Michael Davis and "Monsoon Mike" Regensburger
Hope you enjoyed the past two bright (albeit chilly) days, because we're getting back into a dreary pattern, similar to that stretch this past weekend and earlier this week. Low pressure will bring copious clouds today along with rain showers, mainly in the afternoon. Chilly and raw. High 50. Southerly breezes around 15 mph giving us a wind chill of about 45.
Announcements
FDI Director Announced
Dr. Amber Pabon has agreed to continue as the Frederick Douglas Institute (FDI) Director for the 2025-26 academic year. Please watch for upcoming program announcements and plan to attend programs offered by the FDI. You won’t be disappointed.
Andrea Kirshman, Student Success and Academic Excellence
STI Awareness Week Free Testing
Talk. Test. Treat. STI Awareness Week is April 14-18. The Health and Wellness Center, located in Beck Hall, offers free STI testing 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Testing options include syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, HIV and hepatitis B and C. Please drink fluids and eat a snack before arriving for testing. Please call 610-683-4082 with any questions.
Health and Wellness Services
Safe Space Training
Safe Space Training "Creating Safer Spaces for LGBTQ+ People" will be held at 3 p.m. Tuesday, April 15, 250 MSU. Students, staff and faculty are all welcome to attend. RSVP on Engage. The mission of the Kutztown University Safe Space Program is to provide education and resources to KU community members as a means to create a safe and nurturing environment, free of discrimination based on sexual orientation, sexual identity or gender identity.
Diane Biehl, LGBTQ+ Resource Center
You're Invited to KUR's 20th Anniversary of Re-birth Celebration
Kutztown University Radio (KUR) has a rich history dating back to original sign-on in 1967. After a period of dormancy in the early 2000s, KUR went back on-the-air in spring 2005 with new, state-of-the-art facilities and the mission to bring quality educational and entertaining diverse programming to the campus, community and the world 24/7/365 - and we've lived up to that mission. Help us celebrate 20 years of re-birth noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 26, Georgian Room. Open to anyone, but RSVP's to advisor Mike Regensburger would be helpful at regensbu@kutztown.edu and online. Live music, food and lots of memories will abound. We hope to see you there.
Mike Regensburger, Kutztown University Radio
Academics
Faculty Service Opportunity
The Commission on the Status of Minorities (CSM) will hold a meeting at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 10, via Zoom. The commission will have five membership position opening for appointment by the chair with approval from the membership of the commission. All students, faculty and administration are eligible to seek appointment. Following appointment of new members, elections for officers (Chair, Vice Chair/Student Liaison, Secretary, Treasurer, Web Master) will be held. This is a great opportunity for faculty service. Contact Arthur Garison, chair of CSM, for additional information.
Commission on the Status of Minorities
Arthur Garrison, Commission on the Status of Minorities
Dawn Reilly Laubner's Doctoral Defense
The College of Education announces a Public Oral Dissertation Presentation by Dawn Reilly Laubner titled, "How do Pre-Service and In-Service Social Studies Teachers Align and Diverge in their attitudes and Practice Supporting Multilingual Learners while Honoring Home Language and Culture?" 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, April 15, 245 Beekey. The dissertation committee chairperson is Dr. Andrew Mines and the committee members are Dr. Kathleen Stanfa and Dr. Julio Torres.
Dawn Reilly Laubner's Dissertation
Dr. Catherine McGeehan, EDD Program
Lauren McNeil's Dissertation Defense
The College of Education announces a Public Oral Dissertation Presentation by Lauren Susan McNeil, "The Causes and Effects of Procuring a Culturally Relevant and Sustaining Educational Pedagogy," 4:30-6:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 16, 218 and 240 Beekey. The dissertation committee chair is Dr. Andrew Miness and the committee members are Dr. Denise Bosler and Dr. Cheryl Leatherbarrow.
Catherine McGeehan, EDD Program
DSW Dissertation Defense: Tessa Palmer
The Department of Social Work is pleased to announce Tessa Plamer, MSW, will defend her Doctor of Social Work dissertation, “A Qualitative Exploration of the Incorporation of Nature into Multilevel Social Work Practice,” 2–4 p.m. Friday, April 18, 324L Old Main and via Zoom. The dissertation chair is Dr. Juliana Svistova.
Dr. Juliana Svistova, Social Work
Upcoming Events
| Date | Time | Event |
| April 10 | 10 a.m. | "Get in the Game" Bone Marrow Drive Academic Forum |
| April 10 | 1 p.m. | Council of Trustees Meeting 312 MSU (Zoom) |
| April 12 | 11 a.m. | Easter on the Farm Heritage Center |
| April 14 | 7:30 p.m. | Romantic Farewell Concert Schaeffer Auditorium |
| April 15 | 11 a.m. | Writing Center Workshop Outside Classroom |
| April 15 | 3 p.m. | Safe Space Training 250 MSU |
| April 15 | 5 p.m. | Public Oral Dissertation: Dawn Reilly Laubner 245 Beekey |
| April 16 | 4:30 p.m. | Public Oral Dissertation: Lauren Susan McNeil 218/240 Beekey |
| April 17 | 10 a.m. | Public Oral Dissertation: Janine Speiser 324L Old Main |
| April 17 | 11 a.m. | Elder Care Workshop, Robert Kreitz 203 Academic Forum (Zoom) |
| April 18 | Noon | BYO Lunch and Learn: Occupational Safety 312 MSU (Register) |
| April 18 | 2 p.m. | Public Oral Dissertation: Tessa Plamer 324L Old Main |
| April 26 | Noon | KUR 20th Anniversary Celebration Georgian Room |
Athletics
| Date | Time | Event |
| April 10 | 2 p.m. | Tennis vs. Millersville (M&W) Keystone Courts |
| April 11 | 1 p.m. | Baseball vs. Bloomsburg (DH) North Campus Field (Watch | Stats) |
| April 12 | 3 p.m. | Women's Tennis vs. California (Pa.) Keystone Courts |
Accommodations
Persons with a disability, and who require accommodation, should notify the Disability Services Office two weeks prior to the event at 610-683-4108 or email DSO@kutztown.edu, TDD number: 610-683-4499, in order to discuss accommodations. Every effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodations. Please note: Kutztown University does not provide wheelchairs or other mobility devices.
Non-Discrimination Statement
Kutztown University does not discriminate in employment or educational opportunities on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or veteran status. To discuss a complaint of discrimination, please contact the Office of Social Equity, Old Main A-Wing, Room 02, by phone at 610-683-4700 or by email at pena@kutztown.edu. Pursuant to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Kutztown University does not discriminate on the basis of sex and prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates, including admissions and employment. Any inquiries regarding the application of Title IX at Kutztown University may be made to Bradley Davis, the university’s Title IX coordinator, located in Old Main A-Wing, Room 02A, by phone at 610-683-4782 or by email at titleix@kutztown.edu. You may also contact the Office for Civil Rights located in the Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Bldg., 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-1100, by phone at 800-421-3481 (TDD: 800-877-8339), by fax at 202-453-6012, or by email at OCR@ed.gov.