College well-represented among YWCA's 'Women of Excellence'

Two Pennsylvania College of Technology employees – Britni E. Mohney, assistant director of athletics/head women's basketball coach, and Val A. Myers, dean of nursing and health sciences – were among the honorees at Thursday's 14th annual “Women of Excellence Celebration” sponsored by YWCA Northcentral PA.

Mohney was chosen in Sports and Myers in STEM, two of the evening's seven award categories and all of which featured college nominees.

Jennifer R. Wahl, a social sciences instructor at Penn College, was the keynote speaker for the event, engaging her audience with an inspiring call to action.

"It is simply not enough to say that you will help or say that you will make a difference," she said. "Being an ally is nice and it is kind, but words are often not enough. The world isn't set up for all of us to succeed, so we need to lift each other. Intentional efforts to expand help in our community and lend a hand to support all women ensure that the future will be a better and brighter place for ourselves and those who come after us."

Those in the spotlight at Farrington Place on Thursday night have made a difference beyond their careers, school and household responsibilities, she noted.

"Your work in our community sends a message to little girls that they don’t just have to learn to cook and clean, but they can if they choose to," Wahl said. "And it also sends the message that they can find a meaningful career and life, so that they can enjoy the sweetness of stability and independence."

Penn College nominees in other categories were:

• Advocacy – Jessica S. Hunter, director of financial aid
• Arts & Culture – Ana I. Gonzalez-White, college relations officer
• Education – Tammy M. Rich, associate professor of business administration/management/event management
• Health & Wellness – Jennifer McLean, associate dean of student affairs
• Rising Star – Meghan R. Delsite Coleman, assistant director of student engagement, and Ashlee Felix-Taveras, a human services & restorative justice student

Wahl's remarks reflected the attributes of the winners and nominees in all categories, including the two in which Penn College co-workers prevailed.

Sports – "For me, competition did not seem to be encouraged among women, so I never engaged and therefore entirely missed out. Those women advocating in sports are innovators making it possible for our very daughters to engage with athletics in ways that were inaccessible to us as children."

STEM – "Promoting the inclusion of women in STEM fields will push the needed forward and open doors for our daughters in the future. Not only can women use a vacuum, they can engineer it, design it and fix it."

The same seven categories were open to high school students, where the STEM winner – Emma Strickland – also has Penn College connections. The Loyalsock Township High School senior is the daughter of Carolyn R. Strickland, vice president for enrollment management/associate provost, and Elliott Strickland, vice president for student affairs.

Chosen from among all nominees as "Wise Woman of the Year" was Lynn Estomin, a videographer, photographer, interactive-media artist and professor emerita at Lycoming College, whose work is included in Penn College's Art on Campus collection.

"We celebrated with 43 nominees and 15 award winners," said Brittany Fischer, the regional YWCA's communications and development director. "It was a beautiful thing to see so many incredible women fill one room!"