Pennsylvania Western University

Just days before graduating from PennWest Edinboro on May 9, Devin Keidel used her training and quick thinking to help save a choking student during her student teaching placement at West End Elementary School in Meadville, Pennsylvania.

For Alison Jones, a summer internship with VisitErie offers more than professional experience - it's an opportunity to help promote the region she has always called home. A senior at PennWest Edinboro majoring in interdisciplinary studies with dual minors in marketing and event planning and management, Jones is spending her summer as a marketing intern with VisitErie, the county's official destination marketing organization. The General McLane High School graduate is gaining hands-on experience while helping showcase Erie County's attractions, events and experiences to visitors.

More than 2,800 undergraduate students at Pennsylvania Western University (PennWest) have been named to the Dean's List for the spring 2026 semester, recognizing their outstanding academic achievement.

Perched carefully in Ryann Shirey's hands, the Guam kingfisher represents one of conservation's rarest success stories - a species once declared extinct in the wild and now making a fragile return. For Shirey, a PennWest California senior completing an internship at the National Aviary, moments like this are more than memorable. They are the reason she chose a future that blends science, compassion and hands-on discovery.

The Student Activities Board at PennWest California has been named the 2026 National Student Programming Board of the Year by the Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities (APCA), recognizing the group's outstanding work creating engaging programs and events for students.

Two PennWest University students from the Department of Business, Economics and Communication were selected to present original research at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland's annual Economic Scholars Program on April 17, continuing a growing record of strong student scholarship.

Audiences at PennWest California will soon have the opportunity to experience a magical and thought-provoking theatrical production. Cal Theatre and the University Players will present Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim, with performances scheduled for 7 p.m. April 17-18 and 2 p.m. April 18-19 in Steele Hall's Blaney Theatre. Two school performances will also be held.

A lockdown-era spark became a calling. Fredericktown, Pennsylvania, native Lauren Sims started tinkering with computers around age 15 and then enrolled at PennWest California as a criminal justice major. Conversations with faculty - and a course that covered cybersecurity and cyber forensics - showed her how to merge that passion with justice. She added concentrations in cyber forensics and forensic investigation, plus a computer information systems minor to "get the best of both sides."

Addison Gregory, a sophomore biology/pre-medical science major at PennWest University's California campus, has been selected to serve as the student trustee representing California on the Pennsylvania Western University Council of Trustees.

Selamawit Yilma is the 2025 Keepers of the Flame recipient for PennWest Clarion. The Keepers of the Flame Award honors individuals whose leadership, dedication and impact have strengthened the PASSHE community.

Three PennWest University students are gaining valuable hands-on experience in finance and investment research as participants in the CFA Society of Pittsburgh's Investment Research Challenge, a regional competition that mirrors the work of professional financial analysts.

Ari Kaser's path to becoming a PennWest California golfer and a two-time PSAC Athlete of the Week was a series of unexpected turns. A gymnast for most of her life, the Wadsworth, Ohio, native picked up golf after a shoulder injury at age 14 led her to seek a new sport. With a golf coach for a father and a family full of golfers, she had grown up surrounded by the game. Her gymnastics background gave her a unique advantage: the ability to "hit the ball really far, especially for a girl."

When Sydney Cochran passes through the Natali Student Center on the PennWest California campus, she hopes students see someone they can approach.

When PennWest Edinboro senior Taney Basinger steps into a studio or classroom, her energy and drive are immediately evident. Whether leading an animation project, mentoring new students, or curating social media content for a national landmark, Basinger embodies the qualities of a young leader on the rise. That dedication earned her recognition this fall as Edinboro's nominee for the ATHENA Young Professional Award. The award, an extension of the internationally renowned ATHENA Leadership Award, honors outstanding young college students who demonstrate both professional excellence and a commitment to serving their communities.

Five PennWest students gave oral presentations at the Duquesne-PennWest Conference on Global Bioethics, held at Duquesne University's campus in Pittsburgh from November 7-9.

Four Edinboro personal financial planning and accounting students are volunteering this spring to prepare and file taxes of low-to-moderate income workers in Erie County, Pa.

Sarah Seader, from Centerville, Pa., has been selected to serve as a student member of the Pennsylvania Western University Council of Trustees. Seader is a junior at the PennWest California campus. An Honors student, she is completing two degrees: Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Management. She is also pursuing a Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Edinboro University senior Beau Henry has been awarded an Addison Gibson Foundation Educational Grant for the 2021-2022 academic year.