Penn College News

Welding artist among Women's History Month notables

Tuesday, March 1, 2022

An exciting variety of events is planned for Pennsylvania College of Technology's observance of Women's History Month, which annually celebrates women’s contributions to shaping society and community alike.

Information tables will be set up in the Bush Campus Center lobby every Tuesday in March, and Wednesdays will feature targeted social media posts highlighting women through history and engaging students with specific calls to action.



Rae RippleAmong the date-specific activities are:

Friday, March 4
Rae Ripple
Inspiring and influential welding artist Rae Ripple, who is extremely passionate about women in nontraditional fields, will spend the day on main campus.

Ripple connected with Skyler R. Graver, a welding and fabrication engineering technology student (and president of the college's American Welding Society chapter) at last year's FABTECH industry showcase, which ultimately led to this week's visit.

The tentative schedule, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., includes a tour of campus and the welding labs, a Klump Academic Center Auditorium presentation and Q&A for students and employees, lunch, and a demonstration and working session with students in the Lycoming Engines Metal Trades Center.

A motorcycle enthusiast, Ripple has appeared on "Metal Shop Masters" (Netflix) and "Monster Garage" (Discovery Channel), and has been published in Welder magazine.

Ruth Bader GinsburgTuesday, March 15
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Day
Giveaways and trivia in the CC will be among the activities honoring "RBG," a former associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court who served from 1993 until her death in 2020.

Assistant deans (from left) Lester, Hampton and Chesmel will shares their insight in a series of Women's Wednesday socials.Wednesday, March 16, 23 and 30
Women's Wednesday
Social time with the three assistant deans in the college's School of Engineering Technologies will offer food and conversation on each of three days:

  • Ellyn A. Lester, construction and architectural technologies (8-10 a.m. March 16; Penn's Inn)

  • Stacey C. Hampton, industrial and computer technologies (3:30-5:30 p.m. March 23; College Avenue Labs, Room 107)

  •  Kathleen D. Chesmel, materials science and engineering technologies (10 a.m.-noon March 30; CC first-floor lounge)


Tuesday, March 22
Women's History Month Bingo
7-8 p.m., CC Commons (Bush Campus Center, first floor)

Thursday, March 24
Women's History Month Trivia
7-8 p.m., CC Commons

Women's History MonthMonday, March 28
Women of Color Museum
1-5 p.m., Penn's Inn (CC, second floor)
An offshoot of the True Black History Museum that visited campus in February, the exhibit profiles several dynamic African American women who have made significant contributions to society and includes original artifacts, signed documents, and photos of such individuals as Mary McLeod Bethune, Rosa Parks, Maya Angelou, Angela Davis, Mae Jemison, Shirley Chisholm, Coretta Scott King, Oprah Winfrey and Condoleezza Rice.

Thursday, March 31
Awesome Woman Exemplar ceremony
6-7:30 p.m., Thompson Professional Development Center
The annual reception for nominees (and the first to be held in-person since 2019) continues a tradition begun in March 2006.

For more about this year's Women's History Month events, email the Office of Student Engagement.