BU presented 559 students with degrees at winter commencement ceremonies on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 14, and 15, which included 88 graduate students and 471 undergraduate students in the Haas Center for the Arts, Mitrani Hall.

At the undergraduate ceremonies, the following top honor graduates, who earned the highest grade point average in each college, were recognized:

• College of Business: Jessica Rae Milito, North Wales, management major with a concentration in human resources
• College of Education: Kaitlin Elizabeth Chmielewski, Wilkes-Barre, elementary education major
• College of Liberal Arts: Shannon Mary Bilder, Danville, dual majors, anthropology and criminal justice
• College of Science and Technology: James Joseph Redinski, Hanover Township, biology/pre-medical science major with a minor in chemistry

Commencement speakers were Yanhui Pang, associate professor of exceptionality programs, and Edward Pitingolo, associate professor of accounting. #BUClass2012

Charles Brightbill, who earlier this fall won the Graduate Student Research Award at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting, will be among 39 students from the College of Science and Technology showcasing and presenting research on Friday, Dec. 7, in Hartline Science Center. Brightbill, pursuing his master’s in exercise physiology, researched the comparison of physiological and metabolic data between Nintendo Wii free running vs. treadmill running.

Poster presentations, which feature research varying from swimming torque to solar energy to astrophysics, begin at 2:30 p.m. in the lobby. Individual talk sessions will begin at 3 p.m. on the ground floor of Hartline Science Center, covering a variety of projects ranging from fitness to frog dwarfism to music therapy for cancer patients.

BU’s communication studies club, NCASC, recently hosted a Communication Day to help increase the communication skills of students of all majors. The goals of NCASC's various training sessions and presentations on personal and professional development were to help increase the communication skills of students — whether they were underclassmen looking to polish up their public speaking skills or upperclassmen looking for more practice in job interviews.

University Store’s Textbook Buyback has begun and will continue through Friday, Dec. 14, at the store on lower campus and for the second time at Monty’s on upper campus. Check the live video feed of the line at the University Store from the convenience of your apartment or dorm room to coordinate the best time to arrive.

The BU Student Employee of the Year was announced Thursday, Dec. 6, in the Warren Student Services Center. First place winner Leslie Cope, will receive a $500 scholarship from the Bloomsburg University Foundation.

The runner up, off-campus student worker Shayna Jackson, will receive a $200 gift card to the University Store. Shown from left are nominator Kate Bauman, TriO Upward Bound, Cope; Jackson, and nominator Rand Whipple from Box of Light Studios.

The Student Employee Appreciation Committee consists of Jean Downing, Chris Gay, Karen Hicks, Ranjana Sawhney, Pat Stockalis. The selection is made by a group of five reader, who this year, were: Beth Christian, Nicole Miles, Michele Stout, Edwin Valovage and Tanya Bombicca.

Nominations for the TALE's Outstanding Teaching at Bloomsburg University are being accepted through Friday, Dec. 14, from graduating seniors and students graduating with a master's degree. Awards, sponsored by the Teaching and Learning Enhancement Center, will be given during the May commencement ceremonies.

Last year, Nathaniel R. Greene, professor of physics and engineering technology, and Thomas J. Starmack, associate professor of educational studies and secondary education, were selected as BU’s Teaching and Learning Enhancement (TALE) Outstanding Teachers of spring 2012. Greene and Starmack each received a $750 professional development stipend, sponsored by the Bloomsburg University Foundation, and a plaque to recognize his achievement.

BU’s Office of Minority Affairs is hosting Martin Harris, Sr., pastor of F.O.C.U.S. Young Adult Ministry at Bethel Deliverance International in Philadelphia for an on-campus church visit on Sunday, Dec. 9, at 10:45 a.m. in the KUB Multicultural Center. Free breakfast at 10:30 a.m. Come be part of the service! There will be a shuttle bus on a continuous loop to pick up students who live on upper campus from 9:45 to 11 a.m. Contact Marcei Woods at (570) 389-4091 for more information.

BU will host a two-day blood drive on Wednesday, Dec. 5, and Thursday, Dec. 6, from 1 to 7 p.m. in the KUB Ballroom, where donors will have the chance to save up to three lives by giving blood, according to the American Red Cross. December’s blood donor bonus will be a chance to win a $100 VISA gift card with their donation. Call 1-800-RED-Cross of visit www.redcross.org to schedule an appointment. Walk-ins are welcome as well! More than 100 units of blood were collected during BU’s last two campus blood drives, equating to roughly 300 lives saved. In addition, 24 first-time donors were drawn to the July 31 drive. More than 700 units of blood and 2,300 lives have been saved through BU campus blood drives so far this year!

Jared Owens, a student in BU’s Doctorate of Audiology (Au.D.), program will present his thesis defense on, “The effects of preventative ankle taping on postural sway,” on Monday Dec. 3, at 10 a.m. in Centennial Hall 301. The thesis is the culmination of his academic and research experience. Members of the university community are welcome to attend the oral presentation and defense of the thesis study.

Honors students take two three-credit independent study courses where they work with a faculty mentor to complete a year-long research project. The final piece of their assessment is a 30-minute oral presentation along with a written research paper, which is open for submission for publication. Presentations will be held in the Honors classroom in Luzerne Hall, Room B-9. All are open to the campus community.

BU's Society for Advancement of Management had an incredible guest speaker on Monday, Nov. 26, visit campus to share his experiences. Paul Dutton, of Danville, to share his experiences on being a successful entrepreneur. His presentation had a large turnout, and Dutton’s experiences had the whole classroom truly intrigued. He had a rather impressive resume as a member of the U.S. Army and put it all behind him to take a risk. This risk nonetheless has turned him into a very successful member of the Domino’s Pizza franchise.

Every member of SAM’s group and all attendees have taken various valuable lessons from Dutton, including fighting for your goals in life, even if those goals involve taking an unimaginable risk. Overall, Dutton stressed fighting for what you believe in and doing whatever possible to make ends meet. In addition, his beliefs in customer service and reliability prove that proper business strategies will set you apart from others. His presence was a valuable asset to SAM’s organization and his stories and accomplishments were extremely beneficial.

Interested in learning more about rafting, rock climbing, zip lines, biking, crafting, etc.? Do you love working with kids? We are looking for self-motivated, reliable, good humored BU students for our summer camp staff. Experience with rock climbing, zip lines, team development, biking, rafting is helpful, but not required. Must be able to work in a team and have a love for the outdoors and children. Ages of campers range from 8 years old to 13 years old. Camps run June 10 to Aug. 12, 2013. Upon hiring, child clearances, finger prints, and a background check will be needed. Below are trainings staff will be expected to attend.

Training dates for camp staff include (additional trainings may be added):

• Facilitator Level I Training, Feb. 18 and 25, from 6 to 10 p.m.
• Wilderness First Aid, March 9 and 10, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• High Adventure Training, March 3, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Rock Wall Training, April 10, from 4 to 7 p.m.
• Facilitator Level II Training, April 13 and 7, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Danville Anchor Training, May 5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Camp Staff Training Week, June 3 to 7

Apply now for a summer job with Quest! Email your cover letter and resume to quest@bloomu.edu.

BU’s Forensics Team placed sixth out of nine schools at the 17th annual Morgan State University Speech and Debate Tournament on Nov. 9 to 10 in Baltimore, where BU also won the second-place Sweepstakes Trophy for schools affiliated with Pi Kappa Delta — the National Honorary Speech and Debate Association.

The following BU students won individual speaking awards at the Morgan State University Tournament:

• Chelsea Lucas and John Munchel — first place, Dramatic Duo Interpretation
• Cortney Fenton — third place, Persuasive Speaking
• Stephanie Kaminski — fourth place, Informative Speaking
• Nicholas Foreman — sixth place, Best Speaker Award in Parliamentary Debate

Other BU competitors included Joshua Hooks, Dan Lacca, James Neff, Zach Moore, Samantha Morgan and Betsy Rubio. BU graduate students Jacqueline Bavier and Charles Humphrys served as speech and debate judges at the tournament. Neil Strine, director of the Forensics Team, also accompanied the team and participated as a speech and debate judge. The team will travel next to Lord Fairfax Community College in Middletown, Virginia on Nov. 30 for the Collegiate Forensic Association’s Annual Holiday Tournament.

The team, funded by the CGA, meets every Monday at 9 p.m. in Bakeless 202. All interested students are invited join a meeting. No prior experience is necessary.

Online vehicle registration will begin on Monday, Dec. 10, for parking permits for commuters and residents for the spring semester. Please apply through bloomsburg.thepermitstore.com. Click on the section entitled “Buy Permits” and follow on screen steps to complete the process of obtaining a decal. Each student will be responsible to pay a non-refundable $4.95 handling fee when prompted during the ordering process. The decal charge of $75 for residents and $37 for commuters will be added to the student account.

Get involved in our fun events or join us on a committee to help rebuild everybody's playground, Kidsburg, in the Bloomsburg Town Park. A centerpiece of the park for more than 20 years drawing families from Bloomsburg and far beyond, Kidsburg was destroyed in last year's flood. Our families have already experienced one summer without Kidsburg and are longing to rebuild their beloved playground quickly and in a way that welcomes everyone to play all together for a long time to come.

We are very grateful to the BU faculty and students among the SOLVE Office, Department of Physics & Engineering Technology and Department of Biological and Allied Health Sciences who helped create our Kidsburg-SkatePark Team Float for WHLM's Parade of Lights on Black Friday. The Kidsburg 2.0 committee and the SkatePark of Bloomsburg united for this great event to promote a healthy and active lifestyle for children and their families in our Bloomsburg Town Park.

With less than a week to pull all this together, we won second place overall! Together with our other volunteers and sponsors, we would like to thank John Hranitz, professor, John Huckans, professor, Michael L. Kerrick, Drew Shaner, and Jean Downing, of SOVE.

The Fall 2012 Gender Studies Minor (GSM) Graduation Reception was recently held to honor William Doran, an English major, who will graduate in December with a minor in Gender Studies. Doran received a green graduation cord for commencement. Back (L-R): Faith Warner, Ferda Asya, Christina Francis, Nicole Defenbaugh, Hannah Long, Benjamin McIvor, Eowna Harrison. Front (L-R): Rachel Wagaman, William Doran and Keara Hozella.

The purpose of BU's Gender Studies Minor which offers cross-listed courses in sixteen departments across campus, is the study of social, cultural, and historical constructions of gender and its intersections with other constructions such as race, class, nation, and sexuality. The program investigates gender relationships and inequalities in a variety of societal contexts and strives to provide co-curricular experiences to enhance the Gender Studies Minor curriculum and raise awareness about issues of gender.

Online vehicle registration will begin on Monday, Dec. 10, for parking permits for commuters and residents for the spring semester. Please apply through bloomsburg.thepermitstore.com. Click on the section entitled “Buy Permits” and follow on screen steps to complete the process of obtaining a decal. Each student will be responsible to pay a non-refundable $4.95 handling fee when prompted during the ordering process. The decal charge of $75 for residents and $37 for commuters will be added to the student account.

Downtown Parking Permits

Downtown Parking Permits will go on sale Jan. 2, 2013 for those who do NOT currently have a permit at the Bloomsburg Police Station from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Current permit holders may purchase them on Dec. 26 to 28 and Dec. 31, 2012. Permits are valid from Jan. 2, 2013 to June 30, 2013. Permits are sold by Zones. You may only park in the zone purchased. Go to bloompd.com for pricing. Downtown Residents must bring:

• Proof of residency (signed leased or current utility bill) with permit holders name and address on it. Lease must have dates of lease and be signed by landlord.
• Vehicle Registration Card
• Photo ID
• Students must be present to purchase their permits. Students may not purchase for other students. Parents may purchase for students unable to come.

A group of BU students going by the name “Roongo’s Rangers” exceeded their fundraising goals for Ronald McDonald House of Danville’s Camp Dost. The camp, which is open to ill children and their families, is a week-long summer camp at Camp Victory in Millville. Roongo’s Rangers held a number of fundraisers throughout the semester, dedicating their time, energy and connections to reach their goal of $1,000.

Fundraisers included appearances at the BU men’s and women’s basketball games, development of an Indiegogo website, and a 50/50 raffle. The team managed to raise a total of $1,600, with $1,300 going to the charity after fees and prizes were deducted. After raising $786 on Indiegogo, the team continued to raise funds, raising an additional $226 in cash donations and $520 through the raffle. Winning the first place 50/50 raffle prize, Anthony Bloom received $260, while the rest of the money will go to Camp Dost. The second place winner, Ryan Gibbard, won Knoebels tickets, Pittsburgh Penguins tickets, and a donated gift card to Rosemarie’s.

The Public Relations: Cases and Problems class, taught by Richard Ganahl, consists of 20 junior and senior level mass communications majors; Kimberly Cook, Allyssa Cruz, Erika Gunter, Kathryn Hochgertel, Kate Johnson, Meghan Kish, Keri Lebo, Matthew Marcus, Katherine Mazol, Justin McDonald, Christine McDowell, Justin Miles, Anthony Morales, Jaime Morris, Nnamdi Njoku, Kelly Phillips, Ryan Shea, Sha’Ron Singleton, Stephen Spazante, and Sydney Yarnell.

BU’s Student Veterans Association (BUSVA) in conjunction with Army ROTC shipped 110-pounds worth of packages in order to support deployed soldiers. The soldiers are part of the 693rd Sapper Company and the 573rd Clearance Company. Both units are currently deployed to Afghanistan. The packages were sent impart, because holidays for deployed soldiers are a difficult time to be away from family.

According to U.S. military records, there are currently 68,000 American troops stationed in Afghanistan. The current timetable has American forces scheduled to leave Afghanistan at the end of 2014. BUSVA hopes these packages can bring some holiday cheer to soldiers down range. BUSVA would also like to thank an employee of the Bloomsburg Post Office for providing a donation towards the cost of shipping the packages.

WISE (Women Inspiring Strength and Empowerment) recently collected food items and toiletries for the American Red Cross of New Jersey to help with the ongoing Hurricane Sandy Relief Efforts. The campus group collected canned goods, cereals, soups, toothpaste, diapers and much more. WISE is a group of young women on campus who support women’s issues and participate in fundraisers for local organizations, such as Breast Cancer Awareness and Relay for Life.

Hurricane Sandy affected 24 states , including the entire eastern seaboard from Florida to Maine and west across the Appalachian Mountains to Michigan and Wisconsin, with particularly severe damage in New Jersey and New York. Its storm surge hit New York City on Oct. 29, flooding streets, tunnels and subway lines and cutting power in and around the city. According to reports, Sandy may have caused between $30 billion and $50 billion in economic losses, including property damage, lost business and extra living expenses. The cost to insurance companies could run as low as $10 billion and as high as $20 billion.

Nothing can ruin the holiday spirit faster than becoming the victim of a crime. Unfortunately criminals view the holidays a little differently, for them it is a time of opportunity for thefts and fraud. Here are some crime prevention tips that will help you enjoy the holiday season.

• Use an inexpensive light timer when you are away and ask a trusted neighbor or family member to pick up your newspapers and mail.
• Burglars know to look for the hidden door key near the front entrance. Don’t hide spare keys under rocks, in flowerpots, or above door ledges.
• Be extra cautious about locking doors and windows when you leave your house or apartment, even for a few minutes.
• Keep gifts out of public view. At home do not display them near a window. While shopping lock them in the trunk.
• When going to your car have your keys in your hand ready to unlock the door but take a quick look inside the car before entering.
• Even though you are rushed and thinking about a thousand things, stay alert to your surroundings.
• After holidays, don’t pile up empty gift boxes from your new computer, DVD player, or stereo receiver on the street for the garbage man. Burglars appreciate knowing that you have new expensive gifts inside for them to steal. Break the boxes down or cut them up to conceal the items better.
• Never drink and drive.

Have a safe and happy holiday from Bloomsburg University Police!

Get involved in our fun events or join us on a committee to help rebuild everybody's playground, Kidsburg, in the Bloomsburg Town Park. A centerpiece of the park for more than 20 years drawing families from Bloomsburg and far beyond, Kidsburg was destroyed in last year's flood. Our families have already experienced one summer without Kidsburg and are longing to rebuild their beloved playground quickly and in a way that welcomes everyone to play all together for a long time to come.

We are very grateful to the BU faculty and students among the SOLVE Office, Department of Physics & Engineering Technology and Department of Biological and Allied Health Sciences who helped create our Kidsburg-SkatePark Team Float for WHLM's Parade of Lights on Black Friday. The Kidsburg 2.0 committee and the SkatePark of Bloomsburg united for this great event to promote a healthy and active lifestyle for children and their families in our Bloomsburg Town Park.

With less than a week to pull all this together, we won second place overall! Together with our other volunteers and sponsors, we would like to thank John Hranitz, professor, John Huckans, professor, Michael L. Kerrick, Drew Shaner, and Jean Downing, of SOVE.

It’s time to cash in on some spring cleaning at BU with its annual Trash To Treasure event, sponsored by WHLM 930 AM, on Saturday, Jan. 19, from 9 a.m. to noon, in KUB Multicultural Center. Computers, furniture, electronics and household appliances will all be offered. All proceeds benefit the Columbia United Way. Tickets for the early bird sale, 8 to 9 a.m., are $5. Call (570) 784-3134 for more information.