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A publication of Pennsylvania College of Technology
Fall 2023, Volume 32, Number 2
Do you know what was afoot in this Fall 1982 photo? And who was having all this fun? Please tell us by emailing magazine@pct.edu or calling 570.327.5527. (By the way, if you have copies of The Spotlight student newspaper from 1982- 83, please let us know that, too!)
Thanks to several readers of the Spring 2023 issue, who shared their memories of a photo taken on the Klump Academic Center steps. Edward Bandics ’69 identified the student on the left as Ronald Smith, with whom he commuted every day from Berwick (with fellow carpoolers Earl Harris, Neil Karchner and Dave VanAuken). Smith was the best man in Bandics’ wedding. Melissa (Follmer) Baker ’93 identified the young woman as her mother-in-law, the late Connie (Bown) Johnston, who was also a WACC Fall Weekend Queen. John Hopkins ’68 recognized that a photo of two of the students, evidently from the same photo shoot, ran on Page 40 of the 1968 Montage yearbook. And Joseph Barnatovich ’74 recognized the notebooks in the gentlemen’s laps as those handed out by Admissions.
Student photographer Alexis M. Burrell, who completed her graphic design degree in May, caught this unique view of her Bush Campus Center home base, where graphic design and art classes are taught.
Just before Spring 2023 final exams sprang, one of Penn College’s longest-running traditions drew its usual large crowd to the Keystone Dining Room. Designed to help students fuel their pre-finals cram sessions, Penn College’s Dining Services crew has served Midnight Breakfast twice a year since 1998. This year, the free event featured its usual mix of celebrity cooks – President Mike Reed and other administrators – and its original menu: pancakes, ice cream and toppings. Also on the menu were “stuff-a-plush” and a commemorative anniversary T-shirt designed by dental hygiene student Melina K. Petrick.
To provide stress relief and an opportunity for students to celebrate the end of the semester with friends before finals start.
The headlining activity through Fall 2019 was a free chair massage, provided by local massage therapists. Other activities have included musicians, karaoke, therapy dogs, photo booths, caricature artists, coloring, product giveaways, large prizes (like bikes and video games), and, in recent years, the popular stuff-a-plush.
The original menu was pancakes and ice cream with toppings. In later years, bacon was added as a menu feature, along with eggs and home fries at various times. During COVID-19 restrictions, the menu changed to breakfast sandwiches. In Spring of 2023, the original menu returned.
The event draws an average of 600-650 students each semester. Fall 2005 set the record at 795!
From 1998 to 2009, the event was held on a Tuesday night. During that time, finals began on Wednesday. Since 2010, the event has been held the Thursday before finals start on Monday. Originally held 11 p.m.-1 a.m., over time, the event shifted to its current time slot of 10 p.m.-midnight.
From 1998 to Spring 2010, Midnight Breakfast was held in the Susquehanna Room. For the next four years, it was held in the newly open Capitol Eatery in Dauphin Hall. The event returned to the Keystone Dining Room (formerly the Susquehanna Room) in Fall 2014.
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