Admissions team leaves footprint atop students' nonprofit work

Saturday, August 26, 2023

Photos provided

Community-minded Admissions co-workers pause on the porch at 663-665 Center St. in Williamsport in the midst of their labors.

Admissions counselor Michele R. Alexander (standing) and her community-minded co-workers pause on the porch at 663-665 Center St. in Williamsport in the midst of their labors. Seated in the front row (from left): Sarah F. Marino, admissions counselor; Sarah R. Yoder, coordinator of admissions operations; and Jen M. Cullin-Hetrick, associate director of admissions. Behind them (from left): Audriana L. Empet, director of admissions; and admissions counselors Stephanie A. Golder and Krista E. Snyder.

Seven Admissions Office colleagues traveled this past week to Sojourner Truth Ministries Inc., a nonprofit organization tackling homelessness and hunger prevention in Lycoming County.

The outreach was inspired by an April visit to the college's electrical labs, led by Stacey C. Hampton, assistant dean of industrial and computer technologies. There, the admissions team learned from Joe R. Raup, instructor of electrical technology/occupations, that his students had completed electrical work at Sojourner Truth – both in a recently purchased house and in the agency's main building.

During Thursday's visit, they were able to see that work firsthand.

"Sojourner is so grateful for the students' work, and I am sure the students gained some valuable, real-world experience in these historical buildings," said Audriana L. Empet, director of admissions. "We are now armed with some new talking points for the upcoming recruitment cycle that highlight the unique opportunities Penn College students have."

In addition to the tour, the group completed a service project in the newly acquired home: cleaning basement walls, applying Drylok to help prevent moisture and ripping up the kitchen floor.