Students hone leadership skills during summer program

Eight students participated in the new Penn College Leadership Development program last week, spending seven days learning the principles of leadership, exploring their own strengths and leadership style, and meeting community and corporate leaders.

Activities included a visit to the State Capitol with Patrick Marty, the college’s chief government and international relations officer, and Nick Troutman, chief of staff for state Sen. Gene Yaw. At the capitol, they heard from Department of Community and Economic Affairs staff members Mandy Book, deputy secretary for the Office of Business Financing; Carlee Capece, deputy director of legislative affairs; and Richard Vilello, deputy secretary of community affairs and development.

The participants also spent a morning with Williamsport Mayor Derek Slaughter and met with Penn College alumni Todd J. Fox ’98, an organizational development consultant for the capacity building division of Habitat for Humanity International, and Ken Healy ’01, executive vice president and director of engineering for PMF Industries.

Healy spoke at the program’s culminating luncheon, sharing his journey to leadership.

“Leadership is about creating opportunities for others, making your team stronger, and leaving the organization better than you found it when you got there,” he told the students.

Students also explored entrepreneurship in The Williamsport LaunchBox supported by Ken and Kristie Healy, strengthened their resumes and interview skills in Career Services, learned principles of accessibility and inclusion with Disability & Access Resources, and worked in groups to devise a program, event or initiative that does not already exist at Penn College, working within a defined budget and detailing stakeholders, timeline and marketing concepts. They developed two concepts: a mentorship skills program, working with local high schools and career and technology education centers to develop skills related to Penn College majors, and a “Lab Day” that would allow students to explore Penn College labs outside their majors.

Leah J. Weber, chosen by fellow participants as the student speaker for the luncheon, said that before she started the program, she thought leadership was about having confidence in oneself, but what the group saw in studying and observing leadership was “countless examples of compassion in action.” Weber, of Kutztown, is majoring in applied management.

Penn College Leadership Development participants were chosen through an application process. In addition to Weber, they were: Nathan Drasher, of Palmyra, information assurance & cyber security; Ashley N. Dripps, of Palmyra, biomedical sciences; Jacob A. Krautheim, of Folcroft, residential construction technology & management; Ian B. McFall, of Boalsburg, engineering design technology; Nathan L. Smith, of South Williamsport, applied management; Chase J. Stevens, of Williamsport, information assurance & cyber security; and Ethan C. Swan, of Liverpool, graphic design.

To learn more, visit Penn College Leadership Development.