GREETINGS FROM COLLEGE PLACE!

Hello! I am thrilled to report that my first year at Penn State DuBois has been one of my most rewarding experiences.

Throughout my time thus far as chancellor and chief academic officer, the details of my original vision have evolved significantly, but the core concept remains the same: building on our successes, continuous improvement, and empowering our students, faculty, and staff.

The insights I gained by attending to the day-to-day business of our campus enabled me to transform nascent ideas into a more mature vision consisting of concrete goals and action items.

Therefore, the strategic initiatives I shared in the previous issue of College Place are now projects in progress rather than ideas on the drawing board.

• Our LaunchBox 2.0 dream is steadily coming true. We relocated our Idea Lab and expanded its services significantly by acquiring state-of-the-art 3D printing, Virtual Reality (VR), and Augmented Reality (AR) equipment. We also hired a new technologist, Johnny Williams, to help with our growing demands.
• Our Workforce Development efforts are also taking off. We connected with the Penn College of Technology and DuBois Area High School to identify opportunities for collaboration. Due to a substantial demand for manufacturing employees in our community, we hope to launch our first set of “introduction to manufacturing” projects together this academic year.
• Our Monument Hill project is also making progress. The University posted a call for feasibility study proposals, and we are receiving applications. I thank the DuBois Educational Foundation (DEF) for its generous support in funding the feasibility study.
• We have much to do regarding our sustainability efforts, but I am proud to report that we hosted our first Commonwealth Campuses Sustainability Forum at our campus. The meeting inspired us to reflect on the challenges and opportunities for furthering the cause of sustainability at Penn State DuBois.

The communities around us depend on us to fulfill our land grant mission. As demonstrated by our work so far, we are doing our best. However, there is still room for growth, especially in continuously:

• Improving the student experience,
• Increasing our outreach to external stakeholders, and
• Providing more incentives for recruitment and retention.

All these efforts will pay off and help us grow as a campus. As I always say, anything is possible if we put our minds to it.

Enjoy this edition of College Place!

Jungwoo Ryoo
Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer

WE ARE PENN STATE
AND YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE IT HERE!