#BloomUpward

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Harley, your wish has come true ... ✨💕👑🐾 #MakeAWish #BloomUpward #HuskyThanks #family (at Nelson Field House) https://www.instagram.com/p/Clpg9M2LO2F/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Allan Myers Executive Brings Business Opportunities to Fellow Huskies

Ken Griffin '99 was not the first Husky in his family. Introduced to Bloomsburg University by his elder sister, he fell in love with the campus' size and beauty. He enrolled as an Accounting major to seize the opportunities of the business world, and now that he's established, he is bringing those opportunities to fellow Huskies.

"I loved the setting," explained Griffin. "It was big enough where you may not see the same people over the semester, but the classes were small, and there was a lot of interaction with the professors. I liked that. Bloomsburg was a great experience."

Now the Corporate Controller for ALLAN MYERS, Griffin remembers accounting firms regularly coming to interview students before they even graduated. Although he resented the challenging classes and the long hours, he grew to appreciate the rigor once he graduated.

"Some of my exams were two hours outside of class, and I remember thinking, 'Why are we doing this?'" recalled Griffin, "Once I got out and sat for the CPA Exam, I appreciated the rigor and toughness they put on us."

Griffin started in public accounting with Kreischer-Miller. He earned his CPA before moving to the private industry with the real estate investment company Pitcairn Properties.

During the 2008 recession, Griffin learned of an opportunity of Corporate Controller at Allan Myers. This spring, Griffin celebrated ten years with the company and was happy to help Allan Myers recruit fellow Huskies. He called the experience of returning to campus "humbling."

"I reached out to Dr. Shapiro after graduating more than 15 years ago, and he remembered who I was. He cares about his students, and that says a lot," explained Griffin. "He has helped pick up our recruiting. We had so many students coming to our table looking for internships and jobs. It was nonstop for hours, and it was a challenge to whittle down the great candidates."

Griffin is confident these new Husky hires have chosen a great company at which to start their careers. Allan Myers, a heavy highway construction company that boasts the largest revenue in the mid-Atlantic, began operations on the family dairy farm in 1939. That farm is now the corporate campus site for the company that employs 2200 people in blue and white-collar positions.

"We have so many smart individuals in our company that I continue to learn things from everyone I interact with," said Griffin. "I am challenged by new things constantly. We are always trying to do something different to stay on the leading edge."

Griffin says that not only does the company have a culture of lifelong learning, but it is also one of caring for each other on a personal level.

"The CEO cares about everybody within the company; truly cares," explained Griffin. "He is down to earth. It's an amazing company that challenges its employees and allows them to learn new things."

Two examples are the internal leadership programs; one for new employees (Developing Emerging Leaders) and one for seasoned employees (Leadership Intensive). Both are approximately a year in length and include projects, presentations, and professional development.

"The Leadership Intensive program was the best experience ever," said Griffin. "At a certain stage of your career, you get to a place where you think you've got it, and I found out I didn't."

Just under 20 BU grads have joined Allan Myers during the time Griffin has been with the company, some before they even began their senior year. Griffin says that today's Huskies are even more so prepared as he was in 1999.

"I didn't go to any career fairs when I was a student - I was lucky to have submitted a resume," explained Griffin. "It's amazing how well they are prepared."

The experience, he says, has been mutually beneficial.

"It has been a great experience getting back involved with the university and talking to the students," said Griffin. "You don't know all the opportunities that are out there when you first get out. I love sharing my experiences and my career path to give them an idea of what's out there."

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Senior’s work as a dramaturge leads to Outstanding Drama Student award

The winner of the 2019-20 Bloomsburg University Division of Theatre and Dance Outstanding Drama Student award, Kira Loux, doesn’t fit the profile of your typical winner of a performing arts award. She’s one of the people who works tirelessly backstage to make sure everything frontstage is executed flawlessly.

What makes Loux atypical from previous recipients is that she is not a performer, like an actor or singer. Instead, she had an integrated focus and studied dramaturgy. The discipline of dramaturgy seeks to aid the director in fully and accurately representing a production to the public.

“I was really surprised. I didn’t know I was eligible since I graduated in December and wasn’t an actor,” said Loux.

Loux’s work, although behind the scenes, was integral to the success of several shows.

“Kira’s work as a dramaturge helped the audience connect with the shows in a variety of ways,” said Ethan Krupp, a faculty member in the theatre department. “For our production of The Importance of Being Earnest, her packet on Oscar Wilde, the setting of the play, and related background information was vital to helping the actors understand how and why the play exists in the manner it does,” Krupp explained. “Why did Wilde write it, how did people react to it, what does it mean? By having a deeper understanding of these things, the actors were better positioned to successfully embody their characters, because they understood the how and why about how these characters came into being.”

Her role as dramaturge continued as she worked on Naomi Iizuka’s Good Kids, which dealt with the issue of sexual assault. In addition to the production, she curated a library display of resources for sexual assault survivors and moderated a discussion on the subject after performances.

Loux also supported the theater and dance department by welding scenery for the Spring 2018 production of Machinal by Sophie Treadwell and served as student representative to Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble. She also was a member of the committee that helped select potential performers for the Celebrity Artists Series for the 2018-19 academic year and helped to guide the construction of the new Arts in Bloom series. In addition to being a theater major, she also majored in history and drew on her knowledge and resources afforded by that discipline.

Loux, a native of Quakertown, now works as a quality assurance archivist for the Almac Group, a pharmaceutical company. As an employee during the current pandemic, she is working hard juggling multiple projects.  

“Receiving this award meant a lot to me, especially during these times,” remarked Loux. “It’s easy to get caught up in adult life and things, but it’s good to remember that I have family at Bloomsburg University.”

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BU a leader in saving students money on textbooks

Bloomsburg University is among the leaders in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) when it comes to saving students money on textbooks, also known as course material affordability.

Through programs like Open Educational Resources (OER) and Inclusive Access (IA), Bloomsburg University students have saved a combined $1.1 million this academic year on textbooks and course materials.

OERs have been an integral part of education worldwide for more than two decades. OERs generally refer to digital educational materials that anyone anywhere can use freely and legally, including the user’s right to copy, share, enhance and/or modify them for the purposes of sharing knowledge and enabling education.

“Using OER material allows students to have access to course materials on day one of class,” said Kathryn Yelinek from BU’s Andruss Library. “A student who has immediate access to course material is more likely to earn a passing grade. We have 14 faculty members who piloted the program taking advantage of OER materials from across all of our colleges. OER savings totaled over $240,000 for the 2019-20 academic year.”

The other money-saving program is Inclusive Access, which provides reduced-cost textbooks to students, saving them between 30 and 80 percent. An example of the saving through Inclusive Access is an accounting textbook that would have cost $299 without IA was sold for $121.95. For textbooks with frequent updates, thus reducing the option for students to purchase used copies, this is a tremendous help to their bottom line.

Laura Heger, BU’s University Store manager, says there is a good reason to be supportive of this program. “The BU Bookstore is owned and operated by the Community Government Association, so it is owned by our students. We are here to serve our students and give them the best possible chance to be successful and leave BU with a diploma.”

In the spring 2020 semester, BU has 137 course sections using IA serving more than 5,000 students resulting in an overall savings of almost $400,000. On average, a student is saving between $100 and $115 per semester on books, the highest per-student savings in PASSHE.

BU will celebrate Open Education Week, Monday, March 2 through Friday, March 6. Founded in 2013 by the Open Education Global, the goal of Open Education Week is to raise awareness and demonstrate the impact of open education on teaching and learning worldwide.

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Phi Kappa Phi chapter receives national honor

Bloomsburg University’s chapter of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines, is now considered among the nation’s best after receiving the society’s highest commendation.

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi recently recognized BU’s chapter as a Circle of Excellence Platinum Chapter in recognition for exceeding expectations in chapter operations and demonstrating sustainability and vitality as a chapter.

In its second year the Circle of Excellence program recognized 108 chapters, including 32 with the Platinum distinction. The Platinum honor is given to chapters that scored a perfect 100 on a criteria scale that evaluates chapter health indicators. Phi Kappa Phi currently has chapters on more than 300 campuses in the United States and Philippines.

By receiving the Platinum distinction, BU’s chapter is recognized as a thriving organization that holds annual initiations, upholds the society bylaws, regularly attends chapter training opportunities and submits a chapter-endorsed nominee to the Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship Program.

“This achievement is a testament to our student chapter members who value scholarship and our faculty chapter members who mentor these scholars," said Christina Force, chapter president, associate professor of business education. "In addition, our chapter has a dedicated officer team that works to uphold Phi Kappa Phi’s mission — 'Let the love of learning rule humanity.'"

Among the chapter’s highlights, according to Force, include:

Megan Burns, student vice president, was selected to be on the national organization's Council of Students. In that capacity she attended the national Student Leadership Summit and Bienneial Phi Kappa Phi Convention in Minneapolis, Minn.  

Lisa Stallbaumer-Beishline, director of TALE, professor of history, served on the national selection committee for the Phi Kappa Phi Graduate Fellowship.

Force attended the Biennial Phi Kappa Phi Convention in Minneapolis, Minn.

The chapter participated in Phi Kappa Phi Visibility Day and conducted a book drive, as well as donated non-perishable items to the Hungry Husky Food Pantry.

The chapter held a recognition ceremony for sophomores based on outstanding academic performance in the freshman year.

The chapter gave a cash award to our graduate fellowship nominee.

The chapter held a lunch for members and several executive board meetings.

The chapter held an information meeting for invited students.

The chapter initiated 150 undergraduate and graduate members and six faculty members in a ceremony in Mitrani Hall with a guest speaker.

“In the past, we’ve had individuals who received literacy, graduate fellowship, Love of Learning and Study Abroad Awards,” Force said.

Chapters achieving the Circle of Excellence Platinum distinction receive:

a commendation letter from the Society sent to chapter officers and campus administration

special recognition on the Phi Kappa Phi website

specially-designed logo for use in chapter communications

choice of a $300 cash award or applicable event registration grant

About Phi Kappa Phi

Founded in 1897 at the University of Maine, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation's oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Membership is by invitation only to the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate students and 7.5 percent of juniors. Faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction also qualify. Since its founding, more than 1.5 million members have been initiated. Some of the organization's more notable members include former President Jimmy Carter, NASA astronaut Wendy Lawrence, novelist John Grisham and YouTube cofounder Chad Hurley. Each year, Phi Kappa Phi awards nearly $1 million to qualifying students and members through graduate and dissertation fellowships, undergraduate study abroad grants, and grants for local and national literacy initiatives.

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PA’s first professional sales and marketing degree program ready to grow

Bloomsburg University has been granted approval by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education to offer a Bachelor of Science degree in professional sales and marketing effective immediately, becoming the only one of its kind in Pennsylvania.

“There is a need within Pennsylvania that this program will address,” said Monica Favia, chair of the Department of Marketing and Professional Sales. “The addition of the major along with BU's membership in the University Sales Center Alliance represents a distinctive advantage for Bloomsburg University and its students. This fall the first three students will graduate with the major.”

Todd Shawver, dean of the Zeigler College of Business, feels the new major is going to be impactful. “The Professional Sales major is a unique and innovative program within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” said Shawver. “The program will have a big impact on regional, national, and global economies and will provide our students with boundless and lucrative career opportunities.”

Professional selling is one of the most common jobs for students graduating with a sales degree. Recent research suggests that 60 percent of all business majors and 88 percent of all marketing majors begin their professional careers in a sales-related role.

BU was first named among the top North American schools in 2015 by the Sales Education Foundation’s (SEF) listing of the best universities offering professional sales education. BU is one of only five Pennsylvania institutions included in the listing.

Favia said SEF recognizes institutions for elevating the sales profession through university education. “This recognition will help our students to secure professional sales positions,” she said.

Course requirements for the professional sales and marketing major and its minor are similar. Students also have the opportunity to test their skills at various national sales competitions and internally at the annual on-campus competition. In addition, one of the program requirements is to engage in real-world selling. BU sales students have had great success in the sales profession securing positions with a number of corporations.

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Wherever you’re heading, your climb begins here 🎉💯🐾 #BloomUpward #FutureHusky #OpenHouse (at Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck4cIXtrNmG/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[bloomsburgu]

Orientation 🎬✔ Next step 👟➡ … #HuskyLife 💯🙌🐾 #BUClass2026 #NextFour #BloomUpward #summer #college (at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CfczYGgLwJY/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[bloomsburgu]

Destination ... Bloom 📍💯🐾 #BUClass2026 #FutureHusky #BloomUpward (at Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CcL4bwBL10j/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[bloomsburgu]

Decision made ✔️💯🐾 #BUClass2026 #FutureHusky #BloomUpward (at Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CcL3AgIrbIb/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[bloomsburgu]

The Big Event brought roughly 800 student volunteers to more than 100 locations in town today to help residents get their yards ready for spring 🦺🗑🍂🐾 #HuskyUnleashed #BloomUpward #community (at Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb3cZcgrX0-/?utm_medium=tumblr

[bloomsburgu]

Bloom ... bound! 📍💯🐾 #BUClass2026 #FutureHusky #BloomUpward (at Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CboZ0dbM-yI/?utm_medium=tumblr

[bloomsburgu]

One pitch. Three minutes. More than 150 teams. 35 winning ideas 🦈💵👔👠🐾 #HuskyDogPound #SharkTank #BloomUpward #ProfessionalU #ZIPD #BloomOnward #business #entreprenuership (at Sutliff Hall) https://www.instagram.com/p/CbiMoPbLFu4/?utm_medium=tumblr

[bloomsburgu]

Spring is here! 👏⛅️🌸🍃🌼☘️🌷🐾 #BloomUpward #HuskyLife #March #campus (at Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CbYWLXTukC3/?utm_medium=tumblr

[bloomsburgu]

🎉🐾 #HuskySpirit #BloomUpward #cheer (at Nelson Field House) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cacx6UkLDQU/?utm_medium=tumblr

[bloomsburgu]

Onward 🤍❄️🐾 #HuskyPride #BloomUpward #January #winter #snow (at Bloomsburg University - Carver Hall) https://www.instagram.com/p/CZSUBYUPHwh/?utm_medium=tumblr