Valeria Harvell, associate professor of African American studies at Penn State Abington, was the guest speaker at an NAACP event held in Bucks County. The "College and Cultural Fair" was held Friday, March 12 at the Bucks County Technical High School in Fairless Hills.
Harvell shared her extensive knowledge of African American history in general, and of Bucks County in specific with approximately 100 attendees--high school students interested in attending college and their parents.
Other Penn State Abington personnel also enlightened the potential college-bound students with important college life information.
Steve Pyser, lecturer of political science at Penn State Abington, facilitated a panel discussion centered on what college life is really like. The panel was made up of current college students from a wide diversity of schools--from Ivy League schools to community colleges. The conversation covered many topics that were of interest to the wide-eyed high school students--from dorm life to survival skills, such as: how to manage the work load and prioritize assignments, how to deal with being away from home, and how to deal with roommate issues.
Marjory Shields of the Career Development Center spoke about a topic near and dear to most parents' hearts: financial aid. Her talk titled "What Every Parent Should Know" was well attended. Information on scholarships, grants and federal loans was covered.
"My goal is to see everyone who wants to go to college, get there … without breaking the bank," said Shields.