BU freshmen reality series begins

Four freshmen in their first semester on campus are being followed by BU cameras this fall. Follow along to see how they adjust to residence life, manage their classes and learn the ropes of college life. Episode 1: Move In Day.

Men's soccer coach starts cancer fundraiser

BU men's soccer coach Paul Payne has launched Red Card Cancer, a program designed to bring awareness through the soccer coaching community in the fight against cancer. Red Card Cancer will be an annual event on the first Saturday of October, starting this weekend.

Town mayor to hold open forum with students

Bloomsburg Mayor Dan Knorr, a BU graduate, hosted an informal discussion with students on "The Importance of Leadership Roles as a Student" on Sept. 30.The event was sponsored by BU's Science/Health Sciences Living and Learning Community.

Blood drive exceeds expectation

The BU community donated more than 340 units of blood at the two-day on-campus blood drive from Sept. 29 to 30, exceeding expected donations by 122 percent. In addition, there were 172 first-time donors and an overwhelming response from student volunteers.

Legislator visits campus, speaks to students

PA State Rep. Rick Mirabito, D-Lycoming, visited campus on Sept. 24 where he met with Civic Engagement students, spoke with BU President David Soltz and lectured a state and local government class.

$1.1 million bequest to create BU scholarships

A generous bequest from a Bloomsburg native, Betty Smith Cooley, will have a lasting impact on BU students. Cooley, 88, who died in May 2008, left $1.1 million to BU to establish endowed scholarships in her name. Specific criteria for the scholarships have not yet been determined.

BLOOMSBURG — A generous bequest from a Bloomsburg native will have a lasting impact on Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania students.

Betty Smith Cooley, 88, died in May 2008 leaving $1.1 million to BU to establish endowed scholarships in her name. Although the specific criteria for the scholarships have not yet been determined, Nelson Swarts '63, interim executive director of the Bloomsburg University Foundation, said the funds could provide full scholarships for three or four students a year.

"Mrs. Cooley didn't have a direct connection with the university other than growing up in Bloomsburg," Swarts said, "but she must have had a great affection for the 'Friendly College on the Hill' lasting decades after she moved away."

Cooley was born in Bloomsburg in 1919, the daughter of Keifer C. and Edna I. Smith. She grew up on West Third Street and graduated from Bloomsburg High School in 1937. After working briefly at the Marietta Dress Shop, she moved to Harrisburg to work for the state of Pennsylvania.

She married Harold Cooley in 1946 and the couple moved to Philadelphia and then Skokie, Ill., a suburb of Chicago. She was employed by G.D. Searle & Co. and, later, in the executive offices of A.C. Nielsen, best known for its Nielsen Ratings, until her retirement in 1973. Cooley volunteered at the St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, Ill., and was a member of Central United Methodist Church.

Swarts said the regulations governing endowments will make available at least $40,000 to $50,000 per year to fund scholarships covering the costs of tuition, fees and books.

For information on establishing endowed scholarships or making other gifts to Bloomsburg University, contact the BU Foundation at (570) 389-4524 or by e-mail.

Bloomsburg University is one of 14 universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The university serves approximately 8,000 students, offering comprehensive programs of study in the colleges of Education, Business, Liberal Arts and Science and Technology.

New faces revealed in 10-minute skits

BU alums Toni-Ann Yates, Renee Fawess, Abigail Leffler and Jennifer Bushinger, returned to direct a student cast Sept. 23-27 in the BU Players' annual performance showcase of short theatre pieces.

BU high achievers applauded

Christina Adenuga, Elena Farr, Elaine Keating, Nancy Paul-Francois, Christina Payne and Jahquay Sexton are among the BU seniors being recognized by ACT101/EOP for earning a 3.0 overall GPA or higher by the end of spring 2009 and demonstrating leadership, such as being mentors, involved in study abroad, internships, student organizations, and on-campus employment opportunities.

Writing Center opens in revamped location

BU's Writing Center has opened for students in its renovated location, 206 Bakeless Center, with expanded services and hours. Student can now make appointments and get help on Sunday and Wednesday nights at two drop-in locations. Regular hours are Monday to Friday, open at 10 a.m. Contact by e-mail or phone at 389-5232 for an appointment.

LLC Lecture Series kicks off

BU's 2009 International Studies Living and Learning Community Lecture Series begind Sept. 23 with its first lecture, "Gender and Advertisement," by Nicole Defenbaugh, assistant professor of communications. All lectures are given at Columbia Hall's Living and Learning Community Center.

SECA campaign aims to raise $40,000

BU's 2009 State Employee Combined Appeal campaign, which runs through Oct. 23, supports a variety of charities. Several BU colleagues have been helped and many others volunteer with the organizations. See the Web site to learn more about the campaign.

Ventriloquist visits campus, greets students

Kevin Johnson, who appeared on "America's Got Talent" and "Late Show with David Letterman," kicked off the Celebrity Artist Series's 24th season on Sept. 19 after meeting with students on Sept. 18 at the Scranton Commons.

BU adds new admission tests

BU recently became an authorized test administration site for the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) and the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT). Prior to this semester, the closest testing centers for these exams were several hours away in Scranton, Easton, Allentown or Lancaster.

Internship with government in Harrisburg available for the spring

BU is seeking applicants for the Spring 2010 Harrisburg Internship Semester program, a semester internship to learn the dynamics of state government through direct involvement in report and speech writing, research, program design and evaluation. See the program's Web site or contact Sheng Ding by e-mail for more information.

EET students to present work from recent co-op

A group of BU electronics engineering technology students, returning from a six-month, full-time paid co-op experience in industry, presented their work on Sept. 15 to the campus commmunity. See the department's Web site to learn more about BU's electronics engineering technology program.

Zeta Psi helps raise $1,800 for charity

BU's Pi Kappa Chapter of the Zeta Psi Fraternity raised close to $300 for the 10th annual United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation's, "Fight for a Cure" event, where the brothers participated in the Go for Mito! 5k run in Philadelphia. The event raised more than $1,800 for UMDF's research.

LLC students get involved

More than 400 new Living and Learning Communities students began the semester with a week of activities, including BU Quest Team building and low-ropes courses, tie-dyed T-shirts to represent the 11 different learning communities and paraded to the town park for a festive cookout picnic.

Business students reach new heights

A team of MBA students from BU climbed Knife's Edge of Mount Katahdin in Maine over Labor Day weekend as part of BU's Leadership on the Edge program. The program is designed to provide insight on being a successful leader and illustrate vital business elements, such as teamwork, conflict resolution and crisis management.

BU professor displays art at Haas

A digital art exhibit, "Memory Maps" was displayed in Haas Gallery of Art by BU digital art professor Sue O'Donnell, who creates conceptual digital art based on memories and secrets within family life.

BLOOMSBURG — A digital art exhibit entitled "Memory Maps" is on display in Haas Gallery of Art at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.

BU digital art professor Sue O'Donnell, who joined the faculty in fall 2007, creates conceptual digital art based on memories and secrets within family life. She uses her memories and photographs to raise psychological questions that challenge the viewer to reflect on past experiences.

"Memory Maps" is on display through Friday, Sept. 11, with a closing reception for the artist on Thursday, Sept. 10, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Also on Sept. 10, O'Donnell will give an illustrated talk about her work at 11:15 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. She will be available to answer questions.

Gallery hours for the exhibit are Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Saturday, Sept. 5, from noon to 2 p.m. Haas Gallery is open to the public free of charge. For more information, contact Lee Millard, art gallery associate, at (570) 389-4708 or by e-mail.

Bloomsburg University is one of 14 universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The university serves approximately 8,000 students, offering comprehensive programs of study in the colleges of Education, Business, Liberal Arts and Science and Technology.

New BU/Central Columbia agreement eases admissions process

Central Columbia ninth–graders now have another incentive to do well in class — guaranteed admission to BU after they graduate if they reach certain prerequisites through high school. BU and Central Columbia school officials recently signed the agreement, which goes into effect for this year's ninth grade.

BLOOMSBURG — Ninth-graders in Central Columbia High School, near Bloomsburg, have one more incentive to do well in their classes — guaranteed admission to Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania after they graduate.

An agreement signed late last month between officials from BU and Central Columbia School District guarantees admission to a BU bachelor's degree program for Central Columbia graduates who:

* Achieve a minimum 500 verbal and 500 math scores on the SAT, with a combined score of at least 1100 on the verbal and math portions.
* Earn a minimum of 90 percent cumulative grade point average.
* Apply to BU by Dec. 15 of their senior year for admission the following fall. The deadline is Nov. 15 for students planning to major in nursing, medical imaging, speech pathology, biology or allied health.
* Satisfy all other BU application requirements to the major.

The agreement begins with this year's ninth graders for admission to BU in fall 2013.

"We have many academically talented high school students living in the region surrounding our campus," said BU President David Soltz. "Some already choose to enroll in Bloomsburg's outstanding degree programs and remain close to their homes and jobs. This agreement assures Central Columbia students that working hard in high school will guarantee admission to Bloomsburg University."

Harry Mathias Jr., superintendent of the Central Columbia School District, credited Soltz, Jonathan Lincoln, BU's assistant vice president for academic affairs, and Chris Keller, BU's admissions director, with formulating an agreement that reinforces a culture of lifelong learning, from kindergarten through college.

"I'm very proud to enter into this partnership with Bloomsburg University," Mathias said. "There are some families in our district for whom college attendance is only a dream. With this agreement, we are saying to all of our students, 'If you do these things, you can go to Bloomsburg University.'" According to Keller, about 30 Central Columbia High School graduates currently enter BU as new freshmen each year. "This agreement further solidifies the great working relationship we have with our local school districts, including Central Columbia. When they come here for a visit, local students realize they have a great college, a great resource, in their backyard."

BU is currently working to establish similar agreements with other area school districts, Keller added.

Bloomsburg University is one of 14 universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The university serves approximately 8,000 students, offering comprehensive programs of study in the colleges of Education, Business, Liberal Arts and Science and Technology.

'New faces' at the Council of Trustees meeting

Three new members joined BU's Council of Trustees for its Sept. 2 meeting, where the Trustees approved annual contributions to the Bloomsburg Fire Department and non-instructional emeritus status for Duy McBride, of University Police, and Sharon Swank, of the College of Education.

The Trustees also recognized faculty emeritus Steven Cohen, who retired after teaching psychology at BU for 36 years.

Newest CDL graduates ready for work

BU's Training and Testing Center graduated its latest CDL class in September, following a four-week Class A CDL course by All State Career at BU. The graduates were: Randy Gearhart, of Selinsgrove; Paul Tewell, of Orangeville; and James Stanley, of Elysburg. Contact Albree Boone at 389-5176 for more information on the CDL program.