Recently, Marywood University and ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge announced that Marywood student Austen Miller has been recognized on the 2022 ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll. The ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll is a recognition program for college students at participating campuses doing outstanding work to advance nonpartisan democratic engagement. Austen joins a group of 82 college students recognized for their nonpartisan voter engagement efforts on campuses across the country in 2021.

“I am so proud of the example that Austen has set as our Student Government Association President. He is a role model for our entire campus, working in partnership with our university efforts to ensure that all students become informed, active citizens, who participate in elections at all levels each and every year,” said Sister Mary Persico, IHM, Marywood’s president, who joined more than 300 college presidents and chancellors in committing to full student voter registration and participation in all elections through the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge.

By signing the pledge, Marywood University committed to ensuring all eligible students are able to register to vote and cast informed ballots in the general elections and beyond. Further, they committed to fostering campus cultures that support nonpartisan student civic learning, political engagement and student voter participation. A full list of signatories can be found here.

“At Marywood, we are committed to working with campus stakeholders to increase electoral participation in 2022 and beyond,” stated Sister Mary, “As an institutional leader, I value providing opportunities to empower all eligible voters at Marywood to register and turnout to vote. I am proud to sign the Higher Education Presidents’ Commitment to Full Student Voter Participation.”

While college student voter participation in elections increased from the 2014 midterm election to the recent 2018 midterm election, less than half of college students made their voices heard by casting their ballots. According to the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement,voter turnout at the more than 1,000 institutions participating in the study increased by 21 points from 19% to 40%.

“Today, young people are truly seeing how the decisions their elected officials make impact their everyday lives, and in this critical time, ensuring that they are able to make their voices heard safely is critical,” said Jennifer Domagal-Goldman, Executive Director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. “These students registered voters, served on their campus voting coalitions, spearheaded voter education efforts, advocated for campus polling locations, and organized other voter engagement efforts to ensure their peers were confident and informed voters. We are excited to see what they continue to accomplish ahead of the 2022 midterms and to partner with higher education leaders across the country to change the culture at colleges and universities around engagement in our country’s political process.”

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement. Campuses that join the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge complete a set of action items, with the support of ALL IN Challenge staff, to institutionalize nonpartisan civic learning, political engagement, and voter participation on their campus. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge currently engages over 9 million students from more than 870 institutions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The Dime Bank is proud to have once again sponsored the Stock Market Challenge. This year’s first place winner in the competition was Wayne Highlands School District student Jaydan Beisner in teacher Don Burchell’s seventh grade class. Jaydan won a Chromebook along with a $100 gift certificate for her studious efforts.

The Dime Bank President and CEO stated Peter Bochnovich, “The Dime Bank is a firm advocate of financial literacy for all, but especially for our youth. We believe that educating our students provides a strong foundation for financial success throughout their lives.”

The Pennsylvania Council on Financial Literacy (PennCFL), through Brighter Financial Futures, uses The Dime Bank’s sponsorship to offer all students in grades 3-12 full access to the Personal Finance Lab, free of charge. This, web-based stock simulation platform and curriculum includes the Personal Budgeting Game, Online Learning with certifications in Personal Finance and Investing 101, plus the Stock Market Challenge. This cutting-edge, real-time stock market game is derived from Stock-Trak’s University Platform, which is used in over 80% of the top business schools in the United States. 

Lackawanna College and Marywood University (MU) have announced a new Memorandum of Understanding that provides pathways for qualified undergraduate students from LC into a number of MU’s graduate programs.

“This new agreement with Marywood University will provide a seamless process for students to transition between their undergraduate and graduate careers,” said Adrienne Asbury, Lackawanna College Dean of Curriculum and Faculty Affairs. “Lackawanna students who take advantage of one of the offered pathways will reap both academic and financial benefits as they continue their education.”

Under the agreement, students from Lackawanna’s bachelor’s degree programs who meet specific GPA requirements, along with other program-specific requirements, will be granted admission to MU’s graduate programs. Eligible students will also receive a 20% tuition reduction during their graduate studies at MU.

Additionally, the agreement allows for course sharing— by which current undergraduate Lackawanna College students may reverse transfer credit for Marywood courses to Lackawanna toward their undergraduate degrees. Students who choose the course sharing option will pay Lackawanna’s tuition rate for these particular Marywood courses.

“This is an opportunity for us to truly collaborate with another academic member of our community,” said Marywood President Sister Mary Persico, IHM, Ed.D. “Education is the thing that raises people up and gives people the opportunity to have wonderful careers and to flourish. To be able to do that with another academic institution in Lackawanna County is all the better.”

Geisinger has launched a travel nurse program for eligible inpatient registered nurses. The program is open to external and internal candidates and aims to address the ongoing staffing challenges the organization faces within its hospitals across northeastern and central Pennsylvania.

“The staffing shortages facing virtually every industry — and especially healthcare — are real,” said Janet Tomcavage, Geisinger executive vice president and chief nursing executive. “Our clinical staff are working tirelessly. By expanding our offerings, we hope to attract more registered nurses to Geisinger. That way, we can alleviate the challenges of staffing shortage in our hospitals and continue our mission of making better health easier for our communities.”

The initial launch will focus on the inpatient setting, specifically adult medical-surgical and intensive care units. Traveling nurses will go to the Geisinger hospitals with the greatest staffing needs.

Jeff Lowry, associate vice president of recruitment for Geisinger, believes the program will benefit everyone. “The goal is to give nurses choices and flexibility within their careers while adding experienced nurses to our Geisinger family. Our hope is that the program will help us recruit nurses locally and nationally who are looking for short-term assignments. These efforts will help us have more staff available to provide safe, timely and effective care to our patients and members.”

Nurses accepted to the travel program will complete a 12-week assignment and then can either begin another 12-week assignment or apply for a full-time position with Geisinger. Travel nurses will be eligible for 401K employer contributions, medical insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act and an allowance of up to $96 per day in their paycheck if assigned to a location 60 miles or more from their current location.

Cheryl Williams was assigned to Geisinger Medical Center while working for an external travel nurse agency before becoming the very first nurse to join Geisinger’s new travel program.

“My decision to sign on as a nurse traveler at Geisinger was driven by the positive work environment, supportive staff and employees’ great work ethics,” said Williams. “With this new program, I have the best of both worlds: the ability to travel while staying in the Geisinger system. It’s a great place to work, with many career options and opportunities.”

To learn more about career opportunities or to apply for a job opening with Geisinger, visit jobs.geisinger.org.

Interested candidates can also make an in-person, virtual or phone appointment with the Geisinger Career Center, a recruitment and career services hub at 529 Mill St. in Danville, to learn about jobs at Geisinger. Walk-ins are also welcome. Candidates can speak with a Geisinger hiring manager or recruiter about open positions, and current Geisinger employees can learn more about professional development resources and events. The Career Center offers interview coaching, resume writing services and more. To find out more about the Career Center or to make an appointment, call 877-564-6447 or email GeisingerCareers@geisinger.edu.