Undergraduate Student News

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Annual IST summit celebrates diversity and authenticity in tech

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) hosted its third annual Be You in Tech Summit on February 7 at the Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub in State College.

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Group photo of IST Students at THON

IST represents at THON 2024

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Six students from the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) were among the 700 dancers at THON 2024. The event raised a record-breaking $16.9 million, surpassing last year’s record by nearly $2 million. 

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Alumnus establishes matching scholarship program in the College of IST

Alumnus establishes matching scholarship program in the College of IST

Penn State College of IST alumnus Frank Igwé has established a 1:1 permanent matching commitment for first-time gifts from IST alumni. 

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Competition helps expose demographic and cultural biases in generative AI tools

Competition helps expose demographic and cultural biases in generative AI tools

Penn State’s Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence announced the winners of its first-ever “Bias-a-thon.” The competition, held Nov. 13–16, asked Penn Staters to identify prompts that led popular generative AI tools to produce biased or stereotype-reinforcing outputs.

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IBM Consulting internship information session on Jan. 12

IBM Consulting will hold an internship information session on Jan. 12 for second- and third-year students at Penn State.

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Nick and Melinda Berardi’s gift names College of IST student engagement center

Nick and Melinda Berardi’s gift names College of IST student engagement center

Alumnus Nick Berardi and his wife, Melinda, recently made a gift to transform and name the new student engagement center in the College of IST. 

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Gift from Keith and Lisa Hegner creates new scholarship in the College of IST

Gift from Keith and Lisa Hegner creates new scholarship in the College of IST

Penn State alumni Keith and Lisa Hegner recently established a new scholarship in the College of Information Sciences and Technology. The gift includes a corporate match from Microsoft, where Keith serves as the director of customer success. 

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Search launched for the next dean of Penn State’s College of IST

Search launched for the next dean of Penn State’s College of IST

Penn State is seeking nominations and candidates for the next dean of the College of Information Sciences and Technology. Nominations and applications will be accepted until the position is filled, and interested parties are encouraged to submit applications by Jan. 8, 2024.

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College of IST names student marshal for fall 2023 commencement ceremony

College of IST names student marshal for fall 2023 commencement ceremony

The College of Information Sciences and Technology has named Hardik Jain as its student marshal for the fall 2023 commencement ceremony. Jain will receive his bachelor of science degree in enterprise technology integration with a focus on application development on Dec.

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Order of the Sword and Shield National Honor Society installs Penn State chapter

Order of the Sword and Shield National Honor Society installs Penn State chapter

The College of Information Sciences and Technology inducted 20 students into the new Penn State chapter of the Order of the Sword and Shield National Honor Society.

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Nittany AI Challenge Ideation Workshop set for Nov. 30

Nittany AI Challenge Ideation Workshop set for Nov. 30

The Nittany AI Challenge Ideation Workshop: Agriculture and Environmental Sustainability on Nov.

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Liberal Arts, IST student scores sports technology internship with Miami Dolphins

Liberal Arts, IST student scores sports technology internship with Miami Dolphins

Azziyah LaRue, a fourth-year student double majoring in sociology and security and risk analysis with a minor in information sciences and technology, interned with the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium this past summer.

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Penn Staters invited to compete to find bias in generative AI tools

Penn State’s Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence will host “Bias-a-thon,” a competition to expose biases in current-day AI tools. The virtual event will take place from Monday, Nov. 13, to Thursday, Nov. 16, and is open to anyone with an active Penn State email address. 

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Enterprise architecture and business transformation program marks 10 years

Enterprise architecture and business transformation program marks 10 years

The Penn State master's degree in enterprise architecture and business transformation has now been available for 10 years.

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Invent Penn State Venture & IP Conference shines spotlight on innovation

Invent Penn State Venture & IP Conference shines spotlight on innovation

Penn State students, faculty and alumni entrepreneurs joined with venture firms and startup founders from across the United States for the 2023 Invent Penn State Venture & IP Conference, held Oct. 16-17 at the Hershey Lodge in Hershey. 

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IST data sciences student Carson Pedaci is Penn State Blue Band’s new drum major

IST data sciences student Carson Pedaci is Penn State Blue Band’s new drum major

Carson Pedaci, a third-year student in the College of Information Sciences and Technology, is the new drum major for the Penn State Blue Band. In an interview with IST, he discussed his musical background, his decision to study data sciences and the drum major’s trademark flip.

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IST promotes STEM to thousands at National Girl Scout Convention

IST promotes STEM to thousands at National Girl Scout Convention

The Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology hosted a STEM activity booth at the 56th triennial National Girl Scout Convention at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, last month. 

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College of IST student interns share experiences, offer internship advice

College of IST student interns share experiences, offer internship advice

Four students from the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology shared their summer internship experiences. All undergraduate students in the college are required to complete at least one internship before graduation. 

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Presidential Leadership Academy announces 2023 cohort of students

Presidential Leadership Academy announces 2023 cohort of students

Penn State’s Presidential Leadership Academy (PLA) has selected its new cohort of 30 exceptional second-year students. It is the 14th group of new PLA members since 2009 when the academy was founded by alumni Edward R. and Helen S. Hintz.

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Alumna pays it forward through endowed IST scholarship

Alumna pays it forward through endowed IST scholarship

Penn State alumna Jen Romano has made a commitment to establish the Jennifer Romano Dean’s Advisory Board Matching Scholarship in the College of Information Sciences and Technology. 

 

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New course examines opportunities, challenges, concerns around generative AI

New course examines opportunities, challenges, concerns around generative AI

“Emerging Technologies in Popular Culture,” a new course offered by the Penn State College of Information Systems and Technology, invites undergraduates to explore the questions, opportunities and challenges related to generative artificial intelligence.

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College of Information Sciences and Technology names student marshal

College of Information Sciences and Technology names student marshal

The Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) has named its student marshal for summer 2023. Tessa Beauchat, a human-centered design and development student and Schreyer Honors College Scholar, will lead her IST classmates into the University's commencement ceremony on Aug.

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Alumnus honors parents through endowed IST scholarship

Alumnus honors parents through endowed IST scholarship

Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology alumnus Colin Murphy, class of 2003, recently made a commitment to establish the Richard and Veronica Murphy Dean's Advisory Board Matching Scholarship in honor of his mother and in memory of his father.

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College of IST announces Office of Enrollment, Engagement and Belonging

College of IST announces Office of Enrollment, Engagement and Belonging

The Office of Enrollment, Engagement and Belonging is the new name of a collaborative unit in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology. The new unit includes three offices: inclusion and diversity engagement, undergraduate recruiting and student engagement.  

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'Powered by Chocolate Milk,' Penn State hosts first in-person esports tournament

'Powered by Chocolate Milk,' Penn State hosts first in-person esports tournament

The Penn State Esports club hosted its first in-person tournament last month. The Nittany Invitational welcomed seven teams, 65 competitors and nearly 300 spectators in what the club said was one of the largest annual collegiate video gaming tournaments on the East Coast.

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Congratulations Graduates

Congratulations Graduates

A gallery of photos providing a look at just a few of the more than 14,000 newest Penn State graduates as they complete their successful journey at spring 2023 commencement ceremonies.

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Student team places 3rd in Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition regional finals

Student team places 3rd in Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition regional finals

A team of Penn State students recently took third place in the regional finals of the Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition.

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Alumnus Scott Robertson receives College of IST’s highest honor

Alumnus Scott Robertson receives College of IST’s highest honor

Scott Michael Robertson, an alumnus of the College of Information Sciences and Technology at Penn State, was selected as the 2022 recipient of the IST Outstanding Alumni Award, the highest honor bestowed by the college upon its graduates.  

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College of IST names student marshals for spring 2023 commencement 

College of IST names student marshals for spring 2023 commencement 

The Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology has named its student marshals for the spring 2023 commencement ceremony. Elissa McNeil will represent the IST’s undergraduate majors, and Daniel Manolesco will represent the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program.  

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Head of FEMA set as College of IST commencement speaker

Head of FEMA set as College of IST commencement speaker

Deanne Criswell, the 12th administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, will present the commencement address for the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology on May 6. The ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. in Pegula Ice Arena. 

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Positive triggering method reduces nationality bias in large text generators

Positive triggering method reduces nationality bias in large text generators

Large language models that use internet files to learn how to respond to user prompts about different countries worldwide repeat biased ideas – both positive and negative – found online.

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App to prevent allergy attacks wins first place in IdeaMakers Challenge

App to prevent allergy attacks wins first place in IdeaMakers Challenge

Meallergies, an app that can help avoid allergy attacks when ordering meals from restaurants, was the winning idea in the 2023 Bardusch Family IdeaMakers Challenge, held March 22 during Penn State Startup Week.

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5 student startups win funding in Inc.U Competition

5 student startups win funding in Inc.U Competition

Student startup Bindr, a dating app that provides a safe space online for bisexual individuals, won $15,000, the largest prize amount, in the 2023 Invent Penn State Inc.U Competition.

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IST’s 'Be You in Tech' Summit celebrates diversity, encourages empowerment

IST’s 'Be You in Tech' Summit celebrates diversity, encourages empowerment

The College of Information Sciences and Technology recently partnered with RMS US LLP to present the 2023 Be You in Tech Summit.

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Entrepreneurs share strategies during Penn State Startup Week powered by PNC

Entrepreneurs share strategies during Penn State Startup Week powered by PNC

Each spring, Penn State Startup Week powered by PNC brings together the best and brightest Penn State student and alumni entrepreneurs and innovators for a weeklong celebration of what happens when Penn State’s inspired doers put their ideas into action.  

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Thought leaders headline TechCon at Penn State Abington

Thought leaders headline TechCon at Penn State Abington

Technology thought leaders will share their vision for building smart, sustainable communities at the TechCon and Innovation Challenge at Penn State Abington on Saturday, March 25. The event is open to the public.

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IT students at Penn State Wilkes-Barre get experience in cybersecurity lab

IT students at Penn State Wilkes-Barre get experience in cybersecurity lab

Cybersecurity is a growing field full of career possibilities, and students at Penn State Wilkes-Barre are able to study the field firsthand thanks to an on-campus lab.

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A focus on leadership helps World Campus IST student make a difference

A focus on leadership helps World Campus IST student make a difference

Being a leader is both a goal and a mission that College of Information Sciences and Technology student Daniel Serfass has set out to accomplish.

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Information Sciences and Technology faculty, staff recognized with annual awards

Information Sciences and Technology faculty, staff recognized with annual awards

Faculty and staff in the College of Information Sciences and Technology were recognized at the college’s annual awards event this week. Recipients were nominated by their IST colleagues and selected by a review committee for their excellence in teaching, research and service.

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IST Career Spotlight: Ryan Hartzfeld

IST Career Spotlight: Ryan Hartzfeld

As a lead software engineer at Disney Streaming, Ryan Hartzfeld is leading efforts to make impactful changes to a variety of streaming services offered by the Walt Disney Co.

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Penn State cybersecurity team places third in CyberForce Competition

Penn State cybersecurity team places third in CyberForce Competition

A team of Penn State students recently placed third out of 169 universities in the U.S. Department of Energy’s annual CyberForce Competition. The team, which was comprised of members from the University’s Competitive Cyber Security Organization, also earned third place in last year’s event.

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IST Career Spotlight: Josh Stine

IST Career Spotlight: Josh Stine

As manager of pricing strategy for Elevate Sports Ventures, Josh Stine is drawing on his industry experience to lead a pricing team serving more than 100 professional and collegiate partners. 

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IST student wins Westin Scholar Award for skills in privacy and data protection

IST student wins Westin Scholar Award for skills in privacy and data protection

Alexei Hooks, a fall 2022 graduate from the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology, was recently awarded the 2022-23 Westin Scholar Award for his outstanding skills and dedication to the field of privacy and data protection.

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IST students create innovative, user-focused technology solutions

IST students create innovative, user-focused technology solutions

Students in the capstone course for the Human-Centered Design and Development program major are asking questions, finding solutions and using knowledge from previous classes to pursue a semester-long group project focused on creating user-centered technology.

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Mentors help first-generation IST alum find the right path

Mentors help first-generation IST alum find the right path

Joel Gill Jr. has established himself in a tech consulting career and has learned from a variety of experiences and mentors.

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IST students gain real-world experiences in new distributed team project course

A new course offered by the College of Information Sciences and Technology is helping students prepare for their required internships by focusing on teamwork and real-world projects.

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Arts and Architecture’s fall student marshal is first ever from World Campus

Arts and Architecture’s fall student marshal is first ever from World Campus

Carly Mojica, from Colorado Springs, is the first-ever Penn State World Campus student to serve as student marshal for the College of Arts and Architecture's commencement ceremony. 

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Real-world internship helps IST student make a meaningful impact

Real-world internship helps IST student make a meaningful impact

Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology senior Djante McLaughlin is bringing his knowledge and passion for cybersecurity to life through his leadership with the IST Student Government and his work with the Department of Homeland Security.

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