Lycoming College News

Business interns partner with community organizations

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 00:00:00 EST

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Eleven Lycoming College interns from Dr. Bonita Kolb’s business practicum class used their laptops to assist the Salvation Army with its Résumé Outreach workshop on April 5. The community service event benefitted the organization’s Project Break-Through, a mentoring program that helps struggling families reach goals such as continued education and career advancement.

Anne Landon, assistant director and internship coordinator of Lycoming’s Institute for Management Studies and a certified professional résumé writer, led the workshop. The student interns worked individually with participants to prepare a professional resume.

In addition to the résumé workshop, the same Lycoming students volunteered at a “trash to treasure” charity auction held by the American Rescue Workers. The students acted as runners, showing the merchandise up for bid and then ‘running’ it to the successful bidder.

“It amazed me how someone’s trash truly is someone else’s treasure,” said senior Brad Houseknecht. “Old glass milk pints sold for over $40, a box of Pez dispensers went to the highest bid of $10 and an old accordion sold for $275. The amount of money raised from this event absolutely blew my mind. It was heartwarming to see the compassion people have for one another.”

Lycoming College is a national liberal arts and sciences school dedicated to the undergraduate education of 1,400 students. It is recognized as a Tier 1 institution by U.S. News and World Report. Founded in 1812 in Williamsport, Pa., Lycoming is one of the 50 oldest colleges in the nation.

Symposium to feature health care discussion

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 00:00:00 EST

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Lycoming College will host a panel discussion, “The Health Care Crisis in America: An Open Conversation,” on Wednesday, April 6, at 7 p.m. in Mary Lindsay Welch Honors Hall. This free, public event is part of the College’s Spring Symposium on health care.

Following an introduction from Steven P. Johnson, Lycoming alumnus and CEO of Susquehanna Health System, moderator Dr. Neil Boyd, assistant professor of management at Lycoming and symposium committee member, will lead five experts in a discussion of the state of health care in America.

Panelists include Alice Brody, a consumer advocate and outreach director for Single Payer New York, who spearheaded a statewide effort in support of universal, guaranteed and cost-effective health care; Gary Colberg, Lycoming alumnus and CEO of Southeast Georgia Health System; Dr. Donald Hess, instructor of medical ethics at The Commonwealth Medical College and retired physician in charge of medical education at Susquehanna Health; Alison Hirsch, central Pennsylvania coordinator for PA Health Access Network; and state Rep. Rick Mirabito, Williamsport, sponsor of the state health care bill who works closely with Susquehanna Health.

Vice president of Chesapeake Energy Corporation to speak

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 00:00:00 EST

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Lycoming College’s Institute for Management Studies will host Scott Rotruck, vice president of corporate development for Chesapeake Energy Corporation, as part of the James W. Harding Executive Speaker Series on Thursday, March 31, at 7 p.m. in Heim Building G-11. Rotruck will present “The Marcellus Shale, the Greatest Shale of All Time?” The event is free and open to the public.

Rotruck serves on the West Virginia Oil & Natural Gas Association Board and the Energize West Virginia Board. He also is a FastTrac facilitator for the Kauffman Foundation’s Entrepreneurial Training Programs. Rotruck also spent 15 years in the coal industry with Maryland Coal, Inc., Anker and CONSOL, and 10 years in the railroad industry with CSX Corporation and Norfolk Southern Corporation. He is the past chairman, president and CEO of the Morgantown Area Chamber of Commerce.

Rotruck is a 1977 graduate of West Virginia University and earned a master’s in business administration from Frostburg State University in 1986. He taught entrepreneurship at the WVU College of Business and Economics for five years.

The James W. Harding Executive Speaker Series is named for James W. Harding, a 1938 graduate of Lycoming and native of Montoursville, Pa. Harding was an executive with Kemper Insurance. As the result of a grant from the James S. Kemper foundation to endow the series, students have the opportunity to meet and network with some of America’s top business executives from numerous internationally-recognized companies and firms.

Business classes make headlines

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 00:00:00 EST

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - Lycoming College business students have been busy making headlines through their work with local non-profit organizations. Their efforts are featured in the following Williamsport Sun-Gazette articles:

Giving the gift of… marketing

College students help SPCA

Salvation Army continues ‘Breakfast with Santa’ event

And a video from WBRE TV:

Journey House turns three

Photo from Amanda Alexander, Williamsport Sun-Gazette

Business students work with local non-profit organizations

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 00:00:00 EST

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Lycoming College business students recently worked together to complete a variety of service-learning projects for area non-profit organizations.

Under the direction of Dr. Neil Boyd, assistant professor of management, students formed consulting groups tasked with hosting awareness events and fundraisers for local organizations. The semester-long projects were a part of Boyd’s management and organizational behavior course. The groups shared their experiences during on-campus presentations Dec. 10.

“I created these projects a few years ago so that our business students would have an opportunity to learn management skills in the field and then bring them back to the classroom for reflection and learning in a comparative way with the concepts, models and theories from the field of management,” said Boyd. “In addition, I created the projects so that business students could see community needs first-hand in the hope that they would give back to their communities in the future through philanthropy, time and service, or employment in the non-profit sector.”

Six student consulting groups paired with six local organizations:

Agape Consulting worked with the Salvation Army. Their Breakfast with Santa project was held Dec. 4 and raised $373.06 for the Santa Fund, which aids local families during the holidays.

“Although the project could be challenging at times, the chance to work directly with a non-profit organization was awesome,” said Brooke Gessner, member of the Agape Consulting group. “The class allowed us an opportunity to put what we learned to the test in real-world situations while helping the community.”

Lead the Way Consulting paired with the American Rescue Workers to conduct a clothing drive and silent auction Nov. 19to benefit the Saving Grace Shelter. The group received $9,068.25 in clothing donations for the American Rescue Workers thrift store. An additional $495 was raised from a silent auction and raffle.

Top Notch Consulting worked alongside the Lycoming County SPCA. The group invited the community to have “Holiday Pet Pictures” taken Nov. 18 and 20 and Dec. 3-4, raising $856.

Cliff Enterprise worked with Journey House, in coalition with the Family Housing Alliance of Williamsport and the New Covenant United Church of Christ, to host the third anniversary of the Journey House. All money raised went to benefit families involved in the Project Breakthrough program. The group raised $1,125.

E.F.G. Consulting partnered the Little League Museum to host a night for area Girl Scouts, complete with team-building exercises and opportunities to earn patches. Collectively, the group raised $729 for the Little League Museum and $350 for Little League International.

Kaleidoscope Consulting was paired with AIDS Resource Alliance. The group sponsored “A Night for AIDS Resource” on Nov. 13 at the Cell Block in downtown Williamsport. The event raised $583.25 in funds for AIDS Resource and spread awareness of the disease and its prevention.

Business students partner with Salvation Army for Breakfast with Santa

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 00:00:00 EST

Lycoming graduate named one of Fortune's 50 Most Powerful Women in Business

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EST

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - Deirdre Connelly, a 1983 Lycoming College graduate, has once again been named by Fortune as one of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Business. Connelly is president of North American pharmaceuticals for GlaxoSmithKline. Ranked 37th on the list in 2009, she rises to 27th in 2010, joining the ranks of Oprah Winfrey (sixth) and this year's most powerful woman, Indra Nooyi, chairman and CEO of PepsiCo.

A native of Puerto Rico, Connelly joined GSK in February of 2009. Prior to that, she spent 26 years at Eli Lilly and worked her way up from a sales representative to the president of U.S. operations. Connelly earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Lycoming and graduated from Harvard University's Advanced Management Program in 2000.

Alumnus and Ford Motor Company financial executive to speak at Lycoming Oct. 18

Fri, 24 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EST

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - Lycoming College alumnus David Schoch, chief financial officer for Ford Motor Company operations throughout all the Americas, will present “Ford – Putting the World on Wheels,” as part of the College’s Institute for Management Studies’ James W. Harding Executive Speaker Series. The presentation will be held Monday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m. in Heim Building G-11, Barclay Lecture Hall.

Schoch previously served the automaker as executive director, Ford Canada, Mexico and South America Operations. He also was chief financial officer and vice president of strategic planning for Ford of Europe. Before joining Ford of Europe, Schoch was chief financial officer of Ford Asia-Pacific Operations.

Since joining Ford as a financial analyst in 1977, Schoch has held a wide variety of leadership positions. His extensive global experience also includes senior finance leadership positions in South America and South Africa.

Schoch earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Lycoming in 1973 and an MBA in finance from Temple University. Schoch and his wife, Carol (Missy) Marsland Schoch, also a 1973 Lycoming graduate, have three daughters.

The James W. Harding Executive Speaker Series is named for James W. Harding, a 1938 graduate of the College and native of Montoursville, Pa. Harding was an executive with Kemper Insurance. Lycoming was awarded a grant from the James S. Kemper Foundation in Long Grove, Ill., to endow the speaker series. As a result, students have the opportunity to meet and network with some of America’s top business executives from numerous internationally-recognized companies and firms.

Institute for Management Studies hosts Hiawatha Riverboat outing

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EST

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - Lycoming College students, faculty and administrators gathered for the Institute for Management Studies’ annual cruise and picnic onboard the Hiawatha Paddlewheel Riverboat on Sept. 8. This popular tradition, which started in 1996, is held every September to welcome freshmen and provide an opportunity for students to meet and socialize with faculty and administrators outside the classroom. Students were transported to Susquehanna State Park by the historic Herdic Trolley. Ninety-five guests, including President James and Emily Douthat, and Arthur Haberberger, chairman of Lycoming's board of trustees, attended this year’s event.

Lycoming’s Institute for Management Studies seeks to enhance the educational opportunities of students majoring or minoring in accounting, business administration or economics by offering an expanded internship program, special seminars on important management topics, student involvement in faculty research and professional projects, executive development seminars, and a Management Scholars program for academically talented students. In addition, the IMS hosts guest speakers and conferences on current management issues, and an exchange program for business, accounting and economics students with the Westminster Business School (WBS), which is part of the University of Westminster system located in London.

Professor of management publishes two papers

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EST

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - Dr. Neil Boyd, assistant professor of management in the department of business administration at Lycoming College, recently published two papers. The first, published in the fall 2010 issue of the “Organization Development Journal,” is titled, “What can history teach us about state-level organization development?” The article uses an historical analysis to uncover details and information regarding organization development and change policies in state governments.

The second paper was co-written with Branda Nowell of North Carolina State University, and published in the September 2010 issue of the “Journal of Community Psychology.” The paper, titled “Viewing community as responsibility as well as resource: deconstructing the theoretical roots of psychological sense of community,” offers new theoretical and methodological insights into the design and construction of the sense of community construct. In particular, the paper proposes that current conceptions of sense of community based on needs theory are insufficient, and that the construct needs to incorporate values-based theoretical roots. The end goal of this latter work is to help shape appropriate measurement and design of building communities in contemporary organizations.

Boyd conducts research and writes about various topics in the fields of organization development, action research, human resource management, organizational behavior, and social and environmental issues in management.

Boyd earned a doctorate in public administration from Penn State University, a master’s degree in business administration from PSU, a master’s degree in experimental psychology from the University of Notre Dame, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Bloomsburg University. Prior to his appointment at Lycoming in fall 2006, Boyd was on the faculty at PSU.