 As a sophomore majoring in Computer Security, Josh Smith is taking advantage of all the Harrisburg University has to offer. Needing a job to help get through the summer and coming semesters, Harrisburg University helped him get a job at PSECU as an intern on their Support Desk in the IT department. At PSECU, he helps fix any of the issues employees of the credit union may come across. While this internship has helped him in his ambitions towards becoming a Network and Systems Administrator, it also showed him how a successful company runs their IT department. This experience has helped in the classroom as Dr. Joseph Cannon will often ask and use his experience to help relate the current material to the class. |
 Jennifer Minteer's career may takeoff one day thanks to the solid grounding she has received in Astrobiology (INSC-380), taught by Sam Benigni and Robert Furey of the faculty, at Harrisburg University. She will spend the summer at the SETI Institute’s Astrobiology Research Internship program where she will work with scientists at the SETI Institute and at the nearby NASA Ames Research Center on projects spanning the field of astrobiology from microbiology to observational astronomy. As a recipient of this national competitive internship program, Jennifer will apply what she learned from her course and lab work at HU and gain even greater experience working in the field with a research mentor at NASA. |
 As part of his Directed Study, Andrew Eckinger is serving as a Production Assistant on a training video project for Voith Turbo. The hybrid engine manufacturer has partnered with the Center for Advanced Entertainment and Learning Technologies to re-envision the training curriculum for new transit drivers; the primary user of the DIWAhybrid system. Andrew's first task was to accompany the CAELT staff to Bradford, PA to assist on the first of three half-day shoots. As a PA, Andrew served as a set grip, logged clips, and maintained the P2 media cards. His work with faculty member Charles Palmer may lead to a career in many fields including broadcast production and interactive storytelling. |
 Ashley Harris came to Harrisburg University to obtain both her undergraduate and graduate degrees. She has a goal to create a business that specializes in wireless availability in countries where there is little or no technology infrastructure. She’s gaining real-world experience working with Dr. Amjad Umar of the Information Systems Engineering and Management faculty. He’s a Fulbright Senior Specialist on Information and Communication Technologies and a Senior Advisor to the United Nations initiative on ‘ICT for the Developing Countries’ Ashley wants to continue her mission of having a “wired world” and plans to keep Dr. Umar as her mentor for life. |
 Biotechnology major Adam Cole's hobbies include making food products such as pickled cucumbers and brewing homemade beer. Harrisburg University assistant professor Dr. Peter Meek and other members of the faculty helped Adam bridge the gap between his biotech classes and his hobby by arranging for an internship at the Appalachian Brewing Company. Adam works closely with Artie Tafoya, Director of Operations at Appalachian Brewing Company, and performs routine analysis of brewing practices, and tests yeast viability and dissolved oxygen levels in beer. If oxygenation levels in the beer can be reduced, the company can increase the delivery footprint of its brewed products. The internship provides Adam with a greater understanding of quality assurance procedures in a brewery environment as well as allowing him to tap into a future career in the beverage production industry. |
 As a Middle School Spanish teacher for Derry Township School District, Lisa Butler was looking for resources to replace or enhance a traditional Spanish textbook. She recognized that in digital format, any outdated classroom material can be updated quickly without the significant cost associated with textbook replacement. She also observed that free or open source online Spanish textbooks were not robust enough to support a diverse group of learners. As a graduate student in the University’s Learning Technologies Master of Science (LTMS) program, Lisa spent an entire semester exploring and researching online textbook replacement alternatives and created a custom solution that she is using with her middle school Spanish students. She worked with Andy Petroski, Director of the Learning Technologies program, to design a process for creating a digital resource that can replace or enhance a traditional textbook. She was able to present the results of her work to other educators interested in advancing the effective use of technology in schools during the 2011 International Society of Technology in Education conference. |
 Pamela Ibric, a biotechnology major at the University, set out to create a diagnostic device to help doctors detect MRSA infections faster than the present 24-48 hours diagnostic time period. It’s a real-world project that may help doctors around the globe fight infections because research shows that hospital patients with MRSA infections will stay in the hospital two and a half times as long and are four times as likely to die of fatal complications if not detected early on. Pam worked under the supervision of Dr. Leena Pattarkine, Associate Professor of Biotechnology, to create a novel biosensor assay to detect methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in a drastically shorter time period. The creation of this biosensor will drastically reduce the cost of patient care, provide a cost effective prevention strategy, and allow for the earliest treatment response time. |
 Ask Johnathan Jackson ’09 what he received from his undergraduate education at Harrisburg University and he’ll say the University provided him with the knowledge and tools he needed to start a promising career in IT Project Management. His road to a career began with the University's mentorship program. Johnathan's mentor was a successful IT Project Manager. The career pathway continued with the University’s internship program, which helped Jonathan obtain an internship with the IT team at PSECU. The end result? Johnathan is in a full-time position as an IT Project Manager at PSECU. He’s also pursuing a graduate degree at the University. |
 HU Junior Daniel Warseck is getting real-world experience in geospatial technology, thanks to Geospatial Technology professor Albert Sarvis. Dan works with Albert on a GPS data collection project for Lower Allen Township. The Township is interested in developing an inventory of all regulatory, safety and informational road signs posted along the township maintained roads. The work involves sub-meter accuracy GPS data collection and database design for federal and state signage inventory information. The project will result in a database template, a pilot data collection effort, and a procedures manual for Lower Allen Township to use for completing the inventory. And it is an example of the type of experiential projects that are at the center of the University’s educational experience for its students. |
 York County School of Technology science teacher Gabrielle Mathias Sipe guided her students to create "mythbuster" videos as part of her project work in LTMS 600: Implementing Web 2.0 in the Classroom. Students created and uploaded videos onto YouTube and embedded them in a class wikispace. They also created a Google Doc quiz to test their classmates. While presenting the projects, the students used the discussion tab in the wikispace to “backchannel” while presentations were occurring. Gabrielle's students loved this project. She notes: "Giving them the opportunity to go out and pick something they loved gave them motivation. This motivation then got them working so hard that it was not just learning anymore, but FUN! The class' test scores were much higher than test scores from last year’s class in which the students did not create videos. I allowed my students to take the learning into their own hands and the results were great!" |
 Conewago Township Elementary teachers Jen Selby and Melissa Gantz worked with their 2nd Grade students to create videos to teach different types of safety concepts and distribute the videos on Kidblog as part of their project work in LTMS 600: Implementing Web 2.0 in the Classroom. The safety video topics include bus safety, stranger safety, bike safety, and motor vehicle safety. The students were able to better understand the concepts being taught because they had to participate in creating the videos and discussing them on Kidblog. Jen and Melissa learned that it is more effective to use performance tasks like the videos and Kidblog to have students demonstrate knowledge. Next year, they will replace some of their pencil and paper activities with performance-based technology activities. The end result? It will save time and students will learn more effectively! |
 Allen Apgar designed a Wiki for the elementary band program at Pequea Valley School District as part of his project work in LTMS 600: Implementing Web 2.0 in the Classroom. His students are in two separate buildings, so he is having them work together on wikispaces to collaborate and "improve the overall performance of our ensemble" for when they come together as one band later in the school year. "The students in both buildings were excited to use computers in band class. They were also really motivated by the fact they could 'share with the world' as the students took to the social aspects of the assignment," says Allen. The students now create and upload their video tutorials to the wiki. |
 Linda Miskinis and Laurie Carmack are implementing technology into their Warwick School District classrooms. As part of her project work in LTMS 600: Implementing Web 2.0 in the Classroom, Linda used of the Web tool "ToonDoo" to teach her 8th Grade Family & Consumer Science students about the types of checks and how checks are processed. Students created a comic strip illustrating the correct sequence of the check process, with emphasis on vocabulary words introduced in the lesson. The goal of this lesson was to improve student understanding of check terminology and the check process. By creating their own comic strip, students were able to apply what they learned and shared their knowledge with others. Linda reports students were very engaged and seemed to really enjoy the opportunity to demonstrate what they learned about checks using a creative web tool. Laurie’s high school English students expanded upon their independent reading project by creating book project blogs as part of her work in LTMS 600: Implementing Web 2.0 in the Classroom. |
