June 2019: What's happening at Shenango?
Get to know alumni Molly Bundrant, faculty member Matt Caputo, and staff members Tony Paglia and Brooke Doerfler in this month's edition.
Vol 1, Issue 8
Meet Molly
Name: Molly Bundrant
When did you graduate? 2002
What was your major? Human Development/Family Studies with a focus on children, youth and families.
What campus(es) did you attend? I started at Altoona and ended at Main Campus.
What were you involved in on campus during your time at Penn State? I took classes, studied, worked, had lots of fun and made the best friends!
What is your favorite Penn State memory? There are too many to count.
Why did you choose Penn State? I chose Penn State because I come from a Penn State family. I always knew I wanted to be a Penn Stater!!!
Who has made an impact on your life? So. Many. People! I have an amazing family and group of friends around me. I am a part of a lot of boards and commissions and I have met so many truly amazing people over the course of my life. All of them have taught me so much.
One surprising fact about yourself: I do not care for cheese unless it’s melted on something. Don’t even like the smell of it.
Where are you now? I live in Sharon, PA where I grew up.
What is your proudest professional accomplishment? My proudest professional accomplishment is quitting my job and rearranging my life and priorities to be able to stay home and raise my children.
Why would you recommend Penn State to future students? I would recommend Penn State to anyone because we are a family. No matter where you go or what you do, you will always find a Penn State grad and have a friend for life. It’s much more than a college or a place. It’s a family and a feeling.
Any advice to current/future students: Do your best. Try not to base your happiness on what you expected your life to like.
Anything else you would like to share? I’d encourage anyone reading this to join our Alumni Society. I’ve met so many amazing people and some have become great friends. On top of that, we get to have fun raising money to make it easier for others to get the same Penn State experience that we were lucky to have. For the Glory!
Meet Matt
Name: Matt Caputo
What is your role on the Shenango campus? I am an Assistant Teaching Professor of Physics and Engineering.
How long have you been at Penn State? I have been at Penn State Shenango for one year.
What are you involved in on campus? I instruct general physics and engineering courses required for engineering students.
Tell us about your education: I have a Bachelors of Science in Physics and minor in mathematics from Clarion University. My graduate studies include a doctorate in Materials Science and Engineering from Youngstown State University.
What is your favorite Penn State memory? Some of my favorite memories are when I see students grasp the material in the class.
Why do you love the Shenango campus? The Shenango campus has always been sentimental for me. Several members of my family have attended Penn State Shenango, including myself.
Who has made an impact on your life? Why? Many people impact my life. The largest impact comes from my family.
One surprising fact about yourself: I would like to go skydiving, just once.
What do you enjoy outside of the classroom? Fishing, cooking, and gardening are some of my most enjoyable hobbies.
What is your proudest professional accomplishment? No specific moment comes to mind, however I do often postulate new research topics and how to improve existing area of interest.
Why would you recommend Penn State Shenango to future students? Speaking for my discipline, Shenango has many attractive reasons why someone would choose to begin their undergraduate degree.
If you weren’t working in higher education, what would you be doing? I've always had a superficial interest in pathology, so maybe I would work towards that.
Meet Tony
Name: Tony Paglia
What is your role on the Shenango campus? As part of the Student Affairs department, I provide mental health and disability services to Shenango students. I also coordinate many of the campus' health and wellness programs.
How long have you been at Penn State? I began at Shenango part-time in 2007 and became a full-time staff member in 2011.
What are you involved in on campus? Outside of my primary job responsibilities in the Student Affairs department, I supervise the interns in our Veterans Resource Center, I chair the campus' Behavioral Threat Management Team, I co-chair the Earth Fest committee, I coordinate the campus' community garden and advise the student Agriculture Club.
What are you involved in outside of campus? I serve on the board of directors of the Keystone Blind Association. As a musician, I participate in area theater and other musical pursuits.
Tell us about your education: My undergraduate degree is from the Rochester Institute of Technology, where I received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film/Video/Animation and a minor in Psychology. I attended the University of Georgia for my Masters of Social Work degree. I maintain continuing education requirements for clinical Social Work licensure, and areas in which I continue to study include anxiety, grief/loss, and mindfulness.
What is your favorite Penn State memory? When we held our first Earth Fest at the campus in 2012, we had no idea what the response would be. And when hundreds upon hundreds of community members of all ages turned out, it was the greatest feeling. Eight years later, our event is still going strong and growing each year!
Why do you love the Shenango campus? I love the Shenango campus because of its students. Our students are heroes to me. They each have unique dreams and goals, they are taking on the challenging task of balancing school with complicated lives and responsibilities, and many of them work to overcome some true adversity in order to get their degrees and make a better life for themselves and their families. They are what drive me to give my all and make the Penn State Shenango experience as positive and nurturing as possible.
Who has made an impact on your life? Why? Aside from my family, some of the most impactful people in my life have been teachers. I have been fortunate to know a number of educators, both in the public school system and at the university level, who have taken me under their wing and helped me to recognize and develop my strengths.
One surprising fact about yourself: For a time, I considered becoming a professional musician.
What do you enjoy outside of the classroom? Hobbies, interests, etc.: Music is a major hobby of mine and a great outlet for blowing off steam. I play the guitar and piano, and I also sing. I'm also interested in pop culture history, travel, and photography.
What is your proudest professional accomplishment? Completing the requirements for my Social Work licensure.
Why would you recommend Penn State Shenango to future students? I'd recommend Penn State Shenango to any student looking for the Penn State experience on a smaller, more personal scale. Our faculty and stuff put our students first and truly go the distance to help them achieve their educational goals.
Why would you recommend Penn State Shenango to a future colleague/employee? I would absolutely recommend Penn State Shenango as a great place to work. My colleagues here at Shenango are a fun, dedicated, caring community of people.
If you weren’t working in higher education, what would you be doing? If I weren't in higher education, I would most likely be working to improve mental health services for people in our community.
Meet Brooke
Name: Brooke Doerfler
What is your role on the Shenango campus? Admissions Counselor
How long have you been at Penn State? In August I will celebrate my second year.
What are you involved in on campus? I work with the campus social media and website teams, assist with marketing and graphic design, and participate in Staff Advisory Council and its student focused sub-committee.
Tell us about your education: I attended Penn State Beaver and graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications.
What is your favorite Penn State memory? Not to sound corny, but finding my niche in the world. The faculty and staff were always very supportive with club initiatives, hands-on experiences in the classroom, and developing my professional and creative skills into usable tools.
Why do you love the Shenango campus? I love the ability to customize your experience. You can go anywhere, see anything, befriend anyone... it's just up to you to take advantage of the opportunities.
Who has made an impact on your life? Why? My aunts and uncle have been very influential in my life by always supporting me, steering me in the right direction, pushing me to do better, and teaching me the importance of giving back.
One surprising fact about yourself: I studied abroad twice during my undergraduate career and was able to chaperone Shenango's Alternative Spring Break to Belize as a staff member.
What do you enjoy outside of the classroom? This year I completed Leadership Shenango and moved to the Shenango Valley. I am excited to get involved with the community as I settle in!
What is your proudest professional accomplishment? During my internship at Beaver campus, I helped launch both Beaver and Shenango's new websites in 2016. This is one of my favorite projects I have ever worked on.
Why would you recommend Penn State Shenango to future students? Because you can do almost anything you want. You can travel the world, pick from 275+ majors, have hands-on classes, and so much more while staying close to home and saving a lot of money.
Why would you recommend Penn State Shenango to a future colleague/employee? Working at the Shenango campus is very rewarding - it's amazing to develop relationships with your co-workers and students. It's a small community that gives you the opportunity to make very influential differences in each other's lives.
If you weren’t working in higher education, what would you be doing? Probably working in the marketing/communications department somewhere in Allegheny County.
