Lion Shrine in the fall with mums in the foreground

November 2019: What's happening at Shenango?

It's our First Anniversary! In this edition, we'll celebrate honored faculty, students, and alumni.
Vol 2, Issue 1

Meet Dr. Campbell

A brunette woman wearing a pink blouse and black blazer.

Name:  Kelly Melvin-Campbell, PhD

What is your role on the Shenango campus?  Adjunct faculty member

How long have you been at Penn State?  Seven years

What are you involved in outside of campus?  Outside of campus, I am the mother of two wonderful children, a six-year-old daughter and a six-month-old son. I also work full time at the Mahoning County Juvenile Court as Assistant Intake Director/School-Justice Partnership Director.   

Tell us about your education:  I earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Hiram College. After completing my education at Hiram, I earned my master’s degree in criminal justice from Youngstown State University. Following YSU, I earned a master’s degree and my doctoral degree, both in sociology, from Case Western Reserve University. 

What is your favorite Penn State memory?  It is hard to pinpoint just one! I have worked with so many fantastic students and faculty who have enriched my experience at Penn State. But if I had to pick one, it would be seeing one of my former students on campus. I saw her at the library and got the opportunity to hear how, and what, she has been doing. It was wonderful to have that connection with a student multiple semesters after class had ended.       

Why do you love the Shenango campus?  The people! I love this campus because it is so tight-knit and welcoming. I have never had a negative experience or interaction with anyone, be it a student, staff or faculty member.

Who has made an impact on your life? Why?  I would have to say that my answer is two-fold: my mother and one of my current colleagues. I have never met stronger, more driven individuals than these two women. They both have gone through a great deal in their lives and have soared personally and professionally. In light of what I have experienced in my life; they have provided me with such a great example of how to overcome significant obstacles. They are my biggest role models.

One surprising fact about yourself:  I worked in a Capuchin monkey lab as a student at Hiram College. 

What do you enjoy outside of the classroom? Hobbies, interests, etc.: Outside of the classroom, my biggest enjoyments are my two children. They keep me young and very busy!  I also enjoy running, spending time at my mother’s horse farm, and traveling (especially to the beach!). 

What is your proudest professional accomplishment?  My answer for this question is also two-folded. My proudest professional accomplishments are earning my doctoral degree and being awarded the Margaret Cunningham Foley Memorial Teaching Award.   

 

Meet Morgan

A young, brunette woman holding a toddler.

Name: Morgan Force

Major: Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS)

Graduation Date: Spring 2021

Do you plan to finish your degree at another campus? I plan on completing my bachelors at Shenango.

Why did you choose the Shenango campus? I moved to Mercer County from the greater Philadelphia area and I wanted to attend a reputable university.

What are you involved in on the campus? I am a note-taker for work study on campus. I also plan to become involved in the revamp of the HDFS Club. 

What are you involved in outside of campus? I am an active member of Alcoholics Anonymous, a member of Pennsylvania Mental Health Consumers’ Association and certified by the State of Pennsylvania as a Peer Specialist.

Why do you love Penn State Shenango? The fact that I am 26 and a mother of three made it pretty intimidating to return to school. However, I have never felt out of place here thanks to the professors and other adult learners.

What is your favorite Penn State memory? My favorite memory would be the project I worked on for my CAS 100B class. My group was able to raise over $600 for overdose awareness which was contributed to the ROAR Center in Sharon.

Who has made an impact on your life personally or on campus? Why? There are several people who have impacted my life from Penn State Shenango. My HDFS professors Claudia Brown, Kara Mild and Roxanne Atterholt have all enabled me to grow as a student, employee and mother. Their unwavering support allowed me to succeed while I was feeling uncertain and apprehensive.

Have you benefited from Philanthropy? Yes, I have received scholarships from Penn State Shenango that have allowed me to attend school full time while working part-time. I also feel that in my recovery I have been given opportunities to help others who are struggling with addiction which permitted me to give back the gifts that I was freely given.

Where do you see yourself after graduating from Penn State? I see myself working full time while attending school to obtain my masters degree.

One surprising fact about yourself:  I got sober at the age of 19.

Why would you recommend Penn State Shenango to future students? I would recommend Penn State Shenango because it is small, close-knit school that empowers students to prepared for their future and valued as individuals.

Any advice to future students? My advice would be to be open and communicate with your professors. When you become overwhelmed (because let’s face it, you will), let your professors know. Most of the time when they see you putting in your best effort they are willing to work with you as far as due-dates and extra credit. Penn State Shenango wants to see you succeed!

 

Meet Dr. Dean

A headshot of a blonde woman wearing a blue, patterned blouse.

Name:  Gizelle Dean

My role at the campus is to coordinate the Penn State Shenango Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Program and provide instruction in several of the PTA courses and labs.

How long have you been at Penn State? I began teaching at Penn State Shenango in 2000.

What are you involved in on campus? Beyond teaching and coordinating the PTA program, I am the PTA Club Adviser. Our largest PTA Club activity on campus is the annual Hustle for Muscle 5K Run/Walk. Annually, the PTA Club completes fundraising and donates to local community and professional organizations. In the past several years, our program has been recognized in the American Physical Therapy Association's publication for our donation to the Marquette Challenge to support physical therapy research. In addition to PTA Club activities, I serve on the VenturePointe Committee and am the chair of the Student Affairs Committee at the campus. 

My community involvement includes:  (1) Medical Equipment Recycling Program Advisory Board Chair; (2) Trumbull County Career and Technical Center Advisory Board Member; (3) Neshannock Township Education Foundation Trustee; (4) Lawrence County Festival of Trees Vendor Committee; and (5) Neshannock Soccer Boosters Member.

Educational Preparation:  I received my bachelor of science from Grove City College, a masters of physical therapy from Slippery Rock University, and a doctorate of physical therapy from Slippery Rock University.

My favorite Penn State Shenango memory was when the PTA program received re-accreditation in 2011. Our program faculty members and staff worked diligently to attain this goal. During preparation for accreditation, the program interacted with office staff across the campus. The support we received from the campus was excellent. Our program was recognized as a model for program assessment.

Why do you love the Shenango campus? I really enjoy teaching at the Penn State Shenango campus. The students are engaged and motivated to learn. The class sizes are small so there is one-on-one time to spend with the students. It is so rewarding to see the students' knowledge grow as they move from introductory to advanced courses and then to proficiency during clinical internships. I am so proud of each of the graduates as they walk across the stage at commencement and when they achieve licensure in the field. I appreciate the amount of work and commitment each student has shown to achieve their goals. Often, I hear from employers that our Penn State Shenango students are much more prepared to enter clinical rotations and the physical therapy field after graduation as compared to graduates from other universities. These are some of the reasons why I enjoy being a part of the Penn State Shenango community. I would highly recommend our campus and the PTA program to future students and potential employers.

My proudest professional accomplishment was two-fold. I earned my doctorate of physical therapy degree with honors in the same year that I published Case Report:  Rehabilitation of a Patient with Minimally Invasive Total Knee Arthroplasty while raising two children under the age of seven.

If I was not working in higher education, I would work as a full-time physical therapist in outpatient orthopedic clinic.