Pennsylvania American Water today announced that 10 students from across Pennsylvania have been selected to receive $1,000 scholarships through the company’s Stream of Learning scholarship program. Now in the program’s 11th year, Pennsylvania American Water offers scholarships to support outstanding students from its service areas who are charting a course of study critical to the water and wastewater industry.

A panel of judges selected the winners from more than 40 scholarship applicants, evaluating them on criteria including academic achievement, community service, career aspirations in the water and wastewater industry and letters of recommendation.

“We are proud to award our Stream of Learning Scholarships to this accomplished group of students, who not only achieve the highest academic standards, but also share in our commitment to environment stewardship and community service,” said Pennsylvania American Water President Mike Doran.

Pennsylvania American Water awarded its 2020 Stream of Learning Scholarships to:

• Jonathan Nowak of Lakeland Junior/Senior High School (Lackawanna County)
• Alena Carabetta of Pittston Area High School (Luzerne County)
• Mary Albert of Peters Township High School (Westmoreland County)
• Kyra Ruth Boston of East Pennsboro High School (Cumberland County)
• Paige Butko of Steel Valley High School (Allegheny County)
• Megan Gouldy of Trinity High School (Cumberland County)
• Molly Hoffman of Bethel Park High School (Allegheny County)
• Rachel Midea of Mt. Lebanon High School (Allegheny County)
• Kara O’Rourke of Lewisburg Area High School (Union County)
• Brennan Smith of Kane Area High School (McKean County)

“As we face a wave of retirements in the water and wastewater utilities over the next decade, we are looking at workforce renewal and bringing on the next generation of passionate, motivated, and energetic environmental leaders like this year’s winners to continue serving our customers for generations to come,” continued Doran.

Public media executive Carla McCabe to lead northeastern and central Pennsylvania public TV and radio stations

The Board of Directors of VIA Public Media, which operates WVIA, the PBS and NPR affiliate for Northeastern and North Central Pennsylvania, has announced that Carla McCabe is the organization’s new President and CEO. McCabe, who currently serves as Chief Operating Officer of KCPT in Kansas City, Missouri, will take over leadership of VIA Public Media on July 13.

“We are proud that Carla has agreed to take the helm at VIA Public Media,” said Jay Lemons, the Chair of the VIA Public Media Board of Directors. “She has the talent, energy, and vision to guide VIA Public Media in exciting directions and take it to new levels.”

“Our five-month national search attracted an impressive array of candidates,” said Peter Frieder, VIA Public Media vice chair, who headed the search committee. “But our search committee and the entire board reached the conclusion that Carla, who has proven herself to be a rising star in public media, is the best person to lead WVIA into the future.”

McCabe has extensive experience in public media and television production. As Chief Operating Officer at KCPT, or Kansas City PBS, she oversaw the media company’s three brands — KCPT, 90.9 The Bridge, and Flatland, KCPT’s digital magazine.

Her areas of responsibility included overseeing the annual operating budget, serving as senior advisor to the President/CEO and managing all aspects of television, radio, digital, education and marketing. During the course of nearly seven years with KCPT, she also served as Operations Director, Vice President for Digital and Multimedia and Senior Vice President for Content.

Prior to joining KCPT, McCabe was Head of Production at Tern Television Productions Ltd. in the United Kingdom, overseeing productions for broadcasters including the BBC, RTE, and National Geographic. She began her career in media and broadcasting with the BBC in Northern Ireland.  McCabe earned her BSc from Manchester Metropolitan University in England, and a Masters (MSc) from the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland.

“I am excited for this opportunity to join the talented team at VIA Public Media,” said McCabe. “The need and importance of public media in our communities continues to grow, especially in light of recent events. I look forward to impacting the lives of our neighbors in this region by ensuring this service remains relevant and effective.”

“WVIA has a talented staff, a solid financial position, and a long history of developing inspirational, educational and entertaining programming,” McCabe added. “With this strong foundation, as we lean into the new media landscape, we can meet our audiences no matter where they are – on television, radio, social media and in the community.”

“Carla is intelligent and effective and has been instrumental in evolving our organization and building our talented team,” said Kliff Kuehl, President and CEO of Kansas City PBS. “Her leadership has paved the way for KCPT, 90.9 The Bridge, and Flatland to expand services, audiences, and revenues in recent years. We will miss having her on our team — but I’m excited to see her take her energy and talent to WVIA.”

“Our board expresses its thanks to Chris Norton and the VIA senior leadership team for their superb leadership and stewardship over the last several months and to the entire staff for its continued dedication and hard work,” said Lemons. Norton, VIA’s Senior Vice President, served as VIA’s executive-in-charge after former President and CEO Tom Curra stepped down late last year and was a member of the search committee.

The Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame recently donated equipment to Hospice of the Sacred Heart to assist with telemedicine and remote visits with patients. The generous donation included two Apple iPads and 10 smart phones.

“We are grateful to our friends at the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame for their donation of equipment that will aid in remote care for our patients and provide a human connection between patients and their family members,” said Diane Baldi, CEO, Hospice of the Sacred Heart.

The Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame endeavors to perpetuate the memory of local athletes, male and female, who have brought lasting fame and recognition to the state of Pennsylvania through their athletic achievements and community involvement. Eligible for such distinction are those individuals who have brought similar recognition to the state through their contributions to sports through general managerial, promotional, and other influential capacities.

“In the advent of the current crisis that we are presently facing together, we must push forward to create an environment of inclusion. We must reestablish and strengthen this communication factor, at a time when people are battling depression, loneliness and isolation. In our service to the community, we hope to parallel the mission of Hospice of the Sacred Heart by providing Comfort, Care, Hope and Choice to patients and their families,” said Jim Martin, chapter president, Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame.

The chapter holds an annual Induction Banquet, presents a Scholar-Athlete Award to male and female high school seniors chosen from school districts in chapter counties and proudly support worthwhile causes in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The chapter also maintains a museum-like exhibit at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport.

“The COVID-19 world crisis is unprecedented and this donation will go a long way to assist with clinical services that can now be provided remotely via secure video and audio connections. It also enables family members to visit remotely with their loved ones under our care. Sadly, the COVID-19 pandemic has made face to face visits with some patients difficult or impossible,” said Dr. Patrick C. Kilduff, medical director, Hospice of the Sacred Heart.

The Board of Directors recently appointed Thomas P. Tulaney to president and chief operating officer of Peoples Security Bank and Trust Company and Peoples Financial Services Corp. Mr. Tulaney was also appointed to the Bank’s Board of Directors.

Mr. Craig W. Best, former president and chief executive officer, will continue to serve as CEO of Peoples Security Bank and Trust.  Mr. Best will continue to focus on the bank’s strategy and long-term goals.

Mr. William E. Aubrey II, Chairman of the Board, stated “Peoples Security Bank’s Board and Mr. Best are pleased to recognize Tom as a leader. He has played an instrumental role in executing our business strategies, and his leadership and ongoing contributions are key factors in the decision leading to his appointment”.

Mr. Tulaney most recently served as Peoples Security Bank and Trust’s senior executive vice president and chief operating officer. As the bank’s president and COO, he will be responsible for the daily operations. With over 39 years of banking experience, Mr. Tulaney’s personal accomplishments along with his past and present banking associations demonstrate his integrity and strength to ensure our bank continues to meet the expectations of our shareholders, employees, customers and the needs of our local communities.

“Peoples Security Bank & Trust is a community leader in the financial industry,” said Mr. Tulaney. “I am honored to accept this leadership role and look forward to working with our entire team as we navigate together to ensure the bank remains on a path of continued growth and success.”

Mr. Tulaney joined the bank’s commercial banking division as executive vice president, chief lending ifficer in April 2011 after serving as senior executive vice president, commercial sales division manager at another local financial institution. Upon joining the bank, he was responsible for developing new commercial banking business. His community involvement includes serving on the boards of Lackawanna College, Scranton Counseling Center and The Community Support Group, as well as currently serving as Trustee of the Peoples Security Charitable Foundation and the Roy W. Piper Charitable Trust.

Professor Christopher Speicher, Ph.D., associate professor and director of entrepreneurship in Marywood University’s School of Business and Global Innovation, has been named a regional recipient of the 2020 ACBSP Teaching Excellence Award. The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) recognizes individuals each year who exemplify teaching excellence in the classroom.

Dr. Speicher will be honored, along with other regional recipients, at the ACBSP Virtual Conference 2020, June 22-24. He will receive a crystal medallion and a $250 check. Two International Teaching Excellence Award recipients will be announced at the virtual conference, one from a baccalaureate/graduate degree-granting institution and one from an associate degree-granting institution. As a regional recipient, Dr. Speicher is now a candidate for the international award.

Arthur Comstock, Ph.D., executive director and chairman of the School of Business & Global Innovation at Marywood University, said, “I have witnessed a faculty member who is totally devoted to positively effecting the outcomes of student trajectories, either through proactive experiential classroom outcomes or just a freshman who is homesick. His engagement with students in starting, volunteering, and helping to operate start-up entities is unparalleled by any faculty anywhere. His commitment to continuous learning and fostering global entrepreneurship is awe-inspiring.”

The ACBSP Associate Degree Commission established the International Teaching Excellence Award in 1995 to recognize outstanding classroom teachers. In 2002, the Baccalaureate Degree Commission created a similar award to recognize excellence in teaching at the baccalaureate/graduate degree level. ACBSP is the only specialized body for business schools that presents an award recognizing excellence in teaching, open to application by the entire membership.

“It is more important than ever for business programs to produce graduates who are ready to enter the global marketplace,” said Jeffrey Alderman, ACBSP President and CEO. “ACBSP has a mission to develop, promote, and recognize best practices that contribute to the continuous improvement of business education. Recognition of teaching excellence is one way we achieve this goal,” he stated.

Marywood University’s School of Business and Global Innovation (SOBGI) offers undergraduate and graduate programs that promote academic excellence and scholarship through applied, experiential learning, which emphasizes entrepreneurial solutions to business problems. Marywood’s SOBGI is committed to improving the world by enabling its students to acquire and develop their leadership competencies to meet the dynamic challenges of a knowledge-based global society and by nurturing values conducive to ethical and socially responsible behavior.

For additional information about Marywood University’s School of Business and Global Innovation, please visit marywood.edu/business/, or call the Office of Admissions, at 570-348-6234.

Tomorrow’s health care professionals had the opportunity to learn from today’s experts recently when high school students from across northeast Pennsylvania attended Geisinger’s annual Aspirations in Medicine and Healthcare Initiatives (AIM HI) event at The Woodlands.

More than 90 students in 10^th and 11^th grade from Abington Heights, Crestwood, Dallas, Hanover Area, Lakeland, Lake-Lehman, Northwest Area, Old Forge, Pittston, Riverside, Wilkes-Barre Area and Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center participated in seven workshops designed to give them detailed insight into careers available at Geisinger.

Classrooms were dedicated to interactive sessions about information security, physical therapy, laboratory, infection control, human resources, radiology and MyCode/genetic research. Each workshop was conducted by Geisinger professionals experienced in these fields.

Crestwood junior Trey Zabroski was drawn to the event by the information security workshop as he hopes to pursue a career in forensics, but he enjoyed a demonstration in the physical therapy workshop when occupational therapist Dominick DelPrete asked him to use the same tool, a sock donner, that patients recovering from hip replacements use to put on their socks.

“My great-grandmother had a hip replacement,” Zabroski said. “I saw the tools, but I never knew they were part of the procedure for recovery. I just thought they were meant to help older adults.”

Meyers sophomore Katrina Concepcion and Dallas junior Emma Thomas took interest in a mock urine-testing demonstration proctored by medical technologist and laboratory supervisor Jennifer Swire in the laboratory workshop.

“I learned more about what a medical technologist does in the field,” said Concepcion, who noted that several members of her family, including her mother, are nurses or nurse practitioners. “I want to do something in the medical field, but I’m not sure what yet.”

Thomas, who said she learned more about urine samples and blood samples than she had known previously, has a more specific goal in sight.

“I want to study biomedical engineering and make prosthetics,” she said. “I’d like to help kids in need and work with children who have cancer that has taken limbs.”

While some aspirations were in place before the AIM HI event, others may have arisen from the discussions that took place.

“That’s the value of this program,” said Arion Moser, manager of youth volunteer programs at Geisinger. “These students get a real look at what it’s like to be a health care professional from the people who live it every day. They get the kind of insight that can motivate a young mind to embark on a meaningful career path.”

Multiple online information websites for prospective college students have ranked several of The University of Scranton’s programs to be among the nation’s best in 2020.

Master’s Program Guide ranked the University’s online MBA program in accounting at No.4 in the nation. The ranking is based on affordability (25 percent); student satisfaction and support services (25 percent); online accessibility (25 percent); and accreditation and commendation from such respected sources as U.S. News (25 percent).

University HQ (headquarters) ranked the University’s undergraduate accounting program at No. 12 in the nation. The ranking referenced Scranton’s new four-year BS/MAcc accelerated program. The ranking is based on retention rate, four- and six-year graduation rates, admissions selectivity, percentage of students receiving financial aid, tuition, loan default rates and salary of graduates, among other factors.

Online College Plan ranked the University’s online master in healthcare administration degree at No. 12 in the nation. The ranking is based on assessment of the program’s reputation, cost, graduation rates and student-to-faculty ratio.

Intellegent.com ranked the following nine online programs among the nation’s best: master’s in accounting at No. 13; master’s in human resources at No. 15; human resources degree at No. 16; MBA in international business at No. 24; master’s in health informatics at No. 26; master’s in curriculum and instruction at No. 34; MBA in healthcare management at No. 37; MBA in human resources at No. 37; master’s in finance at No. 39. The ranking is based on an assessment of student engagement, potential return on investment and leading third-party evaluations of the programs.

GradReports ranked the University’s online master in healthcare administration degree at No. 19 in the nation; its online master in human resources degree at No. 21 in the nation; and its bachelor’s degree in public health at No. 13 in the nation. The ranking is based on media salaries and median debt, as well as statistical data from the National Center for Education Statistics.

College Rank placed the University’s online master in healthcare administration degree at No. 24 in the country. The ranking is based on metrics assessing the affordability, quality of education and support services provided.

Earlier this year, U.S. News & World Report’s 2020 “Best Online Graduate Programs” ranked the University’s online master’s degree programs in business (excluding MBA) at No. 51 and its MBA program at No. 118 in the nation. U.S. News also ranked the University at No. 64 in the country for “Best Online MBA Programs for Veterans.”