Students Tip Cap(stone) to Scholarship Donors in Sweet Fashion

A Grand Pastry Buffet was the centerpiece for the college’s annual scholarship reception, which offers an opportunity for recipients of the more than 200 Penn College scholarships to mingle with and thank those who have funded the scholarships. The event, held Sunday, is the final project for students in the Pastry Food Show and Buffet Presentation Concepts course. For the event, the students synthesized skills they’ve learned throughout their collegiate career, each contributing a sugar art centerpiece, a chocolate sculpture, a cake and a platter of bite-sized confections. As a team, they chose the event’s theme – Earth, Air, Water and Fire – and exercised their event-planning know-how. The course is taught by Chef Todd M. Keeley, instructor of baking and pastry arts/culinary arts. Participating students and their hometowns are: Merissa N. Aucker, of Middleburg; Crystal A. Calaman, of Dushore; Danielle L. Cannon, of Drums; Nathan Diaz, of Reading; Alesha A. Dunlap, of Worthington; Alexis L. Kepley, of Reading; Danielle M. McGuire, of Quakertown; Ally T. Monborne, of Williamsport; Natascha G. Santaella, of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico; Lloyd A. Shope, of Blanchard; Andrea L. Solenberger, of Harrisburg; Keegan D. Sonney, of Erie; Sarah I. Tielmann, of Tatamy; Katie M. Weakland, of Pennsylvania Furnace; and Adelyn A. Zimmerman, of Orwigsburg.

– Photos by Jennifer A. Cline, writer/magazine editor

 

 

Shope’s delicate-looking rose-water panna cotta

Blackberry cream puffs share a platter with apricot/strawberry petit fours and raspberry macarons in a display by Aucker.

Befitting the event’s “Four Elements” theme, Santaella’s sugar sculpture gives visual cues to all: air, water, earth and fire.

A chocolate sculpture by Santaella

Santaella’s phyllo fruit tarts line up next to her coconut almond truffles.

Calaman’s mint-chocolate macarons and cannoli bites tempt the sweet tooth.

Edible flowers add seasonal flair to Solenberger’s chocolate truffle tarts.

Kepley’s mint and hazelnut petit fours and blueberry macarons remind guests of the water element.

Diaz’s lime-curd Pavlovas are reminiscent of sea life.

A sugar artpiece by Dunlap captures sunlight in the Keystone Dining Room.

Spring medley cheesecake, by Cannon, looks too good to resist.

Monborne tempts attendees with fresh-fruit tarts, apricot/strawberry petit fours and “orange dream” truffles.

Earth, water, air and fire are packaged neatly in a beachy sugar art centerpiece by McGuire.

A summery interpretation of the theme, by Tielmann

A fiery confection: Tielmann’s chili chocolate mousse s’mores

President Davie Jane Gilmour elicits laughter during a pre-event chat with students.

The 15-member Pastry Food Show and Buffet Presentation Concepts class

Jordan C. Bozzelli, a student development assistant and recipient of the SkillsUSA scholarship, tells attendees about her Penn College and SkillsUSA experience.

Gilmour introduces the baking and pastry arts students.

Sherly Charles, a student in health arts: practical nursing emphasis and recipient of the Ruth Ann Van Horn Nursing Scholarship, pauses for a photo with Chalmer Van Horn, an alumnus and retired faculty member who established the scholarship in memory of his wife, and his daughter Rosa Hessler.

Dorothy J. Gerring, associate professor of architectural technology and Penn College Education Association president, and Bill Geyer, retired assistant professor of building construction technology, chat with George W. Settle III, a welding and fabrication engineering technology student and recipient of the PCEA scholarship.

Amid a long line of tasty desserts, Settle learns more about the options from Weakland.

Sonney serves a slice of her “carrot cake garden” to Everett B. Appleby, a student in building science and sustainable design: building construction technology concentration and recipient of the Gerring Geyer Scholarship.

Elliott Strickland, chief student affairs officer, and student development officer Lauren J. Crouse, an applied human services student, delight in the tasty descriptions offered by Solenberger.