Students explore cultural activities, opportunities at festival

Pennsylvania College of Technology and Lycoming College teamed up in the spring to present students with a chance to explore various cultures and study abroad opportunities.

The Cultural Fusion Festival involved the efforts of Penn College’s School of Nursing & Health Sciences Diversity Taskforce, culinary arts faculty, and staff from the Office of Student Engagement and the Michael J. Hudock Center for Academic Excellence, as well as Lycoming’s offices of Global Engagement and International Recruitment & Advising and its music and French departments.

The vibrant gathering celebrated global customs with music, dance performances and interactive activities, along with recipe cards and food samples from local restaurants and culinary students.

Valerie A. Myers, dean for the School of Nursing & Health Sciences, said that approximately 100 people participated in activities, which also included creating art pieces that would later be displayed in the Bush Campus Center; playing and learning about different musical instruments; interacting with students and staff from different backgrounds; and learning about upcoming study abroad courses at Penn College and Lycoming College.

“Attending the Cultural Fusion Festival was important because it provided a unique opportunity to engage with diverse cultures while exploring global learning and study abroad opportunities in an interactive, welcoming environment,” Myers said. “Participants were able to experience cultural expression firsthand through music and interactive activities, helping to build cultural awareness and appreciation across both campus communities. Sampling international foods prepared by local restaurants and culinary students further enriched the educational experience by highlighting how culture, food and community intersect.”

Attendees were encouraged to bring a culturally diverse food to donate to The Cupboard at Penn College, an on-campus pantry for students experiencing food insecurity.

“The event fostered a strong sense of community collaboration and social responsibility,” Myers said. “By donating culturally diverse food items to the Penn College Cupboard, attendees supported food security efforts while celebrating cultural diversity. Overall, the festival served as an inclusive space to learn, connect and contribute – making attendance both impactful and worthwhile.”

The collaboration between the two colleges is something Myers said she would like to continue.

“Their faculty and staff were instrumental in both planning and executing the event, and they actively participated in the interactive activities during the event,” she said. “I welcome the opportunity to host this event again next year and potentially expand it further. Our collaboration with Lycoming College was a very positive experience, and I believe we should continue to foster this relationship through additional collaborative events. Students shared overwhelmingly positive feedback about seeing the two colleges work together.”

Daniel J. Clasby, assistant dean of engineering technologies: assessment & accreditation, also was intimately involved in the event. He agreed the inaugural festival was a great success.

“(There was) lots of student interest and participation that I think we can build on for next year,” he said. “And I hope we can do it next year, as it’s also a great way to create some synergy between our campus and Lyco. We complement each other in the area of global learning, and the more we can do to support each other, the more we can build for our students.”

Attendees gathered stamps through a passport activity for a chance to win prizes. Casidee D. Ellis, of Borden, Indiana, a human services & restorative justice student, was the winner of a suitcase and packing cubes for a future study abroad adventure.

“She’s planning to go with Rob Cooley and Susan Slamka to Central Europe next year,” Clasby said. Cooley is a professor of anthropology/environmental science, and Slamka is an associate professor of psychology. “They’ll be studying the history of psychology, but also looking at current clinical practices, including some hands-on visits and observation in an addiction clinic and mental health institute.”  

There are several upcoming opportunities for “going global,” which can help students boost their careers through real-world learning, develop independence, build essential soft skills and expand global networks. On the schedule for 2027 are trips to Puerto Rico, Germany and Central Europe, India, Japan, Dominican Republic, and London. Find more information on the college’s Global Experiences page.