President Clarifies Intent of Event Honoring John J. Messer

As Penn College mourns the loss of faculty member John J. Messer, who died Jan. 5 after a courageous battle with cancer, the President's Office would like to clarify the intent of this weekend’s event. On Saturday, Jan. 17, a celebration of life fundraiser to benefit brain tumor research at Geisinger Health will be held by John’s family at 3 p.m. in the Mountain Laurel Room of the Thompson Professional Development Center. The event will include a basket raffle and a variety of other activities intended to boost donations to brain-cancer research. Contributions to the Geisinger Foundation can be made online or at the PDC; checks should note “Brain Tumor Research in Honor of John Messer” on the memo line. Friends and family of John have established a Penn College scholarship in his memory. Annual awards will be made from the fund, preferably to students enrolled in web and interactive media or in any major within the college’s School of Health Sciences. Eligible candidates should also demonstrate financial need, be in their sophomore year or greater and carry a GPA of 2.5 or higher. Anyone interested in contributing to the John J. Messer Memorial Scholarship can send a donation to the Penn College Foundation, One College Avenue, Williamsport, PA 17701; give online; or call the Institutional Advancement Office toll-free at 866-GIVE-2-PC (866-448-3272).