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Last week, the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs hosted the university-wide, annual Research and Creative Activities Day in Sykes Student Union. This event highlights the innovative and impactful research being conducted by our outstanding faculty and dedicated students. This year they hosted an unprecedented number of presenters, with nearly 150 faculty and students sharing through poster presentations, oral presentations, and new to this year, faculty panels held in Sykes theater. There was also an awards ceremony where this year’s Student Research and Creative Activity undergraduate and graduate student awardees were recognized, in addition to the poster and oral student winners. We are excited to see all of the excitement and interest that continues to surround research and creative activity at WCU as we celebrate the dedication and hard work of our researchers.

Unique Book Shows Benefits of WCU's Journeys to South Africa

(Story courtesy of WCU Communications & Marketing)

Twenty years ago, the West Chester University Honors College established an international service-learning program that took students to South Africa for two weeks to conduct service outreach and data collection. On 12 trips in alternating years, WCU students and several faculty and staff worked with the same three non-profit organizations to help make and serve soup to school children; visit and comfort HIV/AIDS orphans; and assist in an elementary school. The program became a model for other service-learning programs in terms of establishing continuity and making a short trip impactful for those visiting and those who visited.

These students brought home more than just photos. They returned with new perspectives and sometimes new academic and career pursuits, notes Victoria Tischio, WCU professor of English, who completed four of these journeys. She has compiled students’ reflections, notes, research, and photos into a recently released book: Journeys to South Africa: Reflections on 20 Years of Short-term Service Learning. The chapters explore how students learn and the various ways communities benefit from these projects.

She shared the ethos of the book: “We intended to give something more back, something lasting.” Academically, the book provides scholars with more descriptive data and analysis than is currently available regarding international service-learning experiences. That information includes interviews conducted with host communities, surveys of recent student travelers, interviews with students who participated in the early years of the program, and students’ travel journal entries.

Royalties from book sales are earmarked for the three non-profit organizations that the Honors College visited and assisted on each trip: H.E.L.P. Ministries Soup Kitchen, Nkosi’s Haven, and Nederberg Primary School.

WCU Celebrates Autism Acceptance Month

From sensory-friendly classes in yoga and Zumba® to a silent disco with headphones to a sensory-friendly planetarium show and everything in between, Autism Acceptance Month on West Chester University’s campus was all about spreading awareness and acceptance of autism. D-CAP, which provides support to degree-seeking West Chester University students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), offered a host of events and activities throughout the month of April at the University. All events and activities were planned by the many neurodivergent students who comprise D-CAP and were free and open to the community.

Highlighting Autism Acceptance Month, the Philadelphia Eagles Autism Foundation College Program at WCU hosted an outdoor Walk for Autism on April 19 around the track at Farrell Stadium with members of WCU’s Golden Rams football team joining the walk. Community members were invited to take the 1.36-mile stroll as well. The walk's distance recognizes that one in 36 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Capping-off Autism Acceptance Month was the celebration of D-CAP graduates! Ten (10) DCAP seniors donned caps and gowns on April 29 as they participated in a graduation ceremony that had family and friends watching with pride.

“Having an inclusive campus is critical for all of our students, faculty, staff, and community members,” said Director of Autism Services/Dub-C Autism Program Cherie Fishbaugh. “I am especially proud that the West Chester University community embraces knowledge, acceptance, and inclusion of our diverse learners. D-CAP extends its sincerest gratitude to its many campus partners. It is with support that D-CAP is and will continue to be able to spread inclusivity and acceptance of autism and neurodiversity.”

Autism Acceptance Month partners for 2024 included West Chester University’s Student Recreation Center, the Mather Planetarium, West Chester University Libraries, the WCU Alumni Association, the Philadelphia Eagles Autism Foundation College Program at West Chester University, EmpowerU Specialty Fitness, and the Fitness Factory.

Moon Shot Week

Our Moon Shot for Equity mission at WCU will only succeed in eliminating institutional equity gaps in student success through participation across our community of educators. We refer to Moon Shot as a mission rather than an initiative because it is different from WCU’s earlier equity work. The primary distinction is our understanding of the necessity to include the voices of our entire community of students, staff, and faculty in eliminating institutional inequity. We are committed to engaging everyone at WCU in Moon Shot.

Since we started, we’ve engaged over 400 staff, faculty, and students in the Moon Shot work. Currently, three of our goal teams have crafted recommendations for policy and practice changes to realign WCU to be more equitable in three areas: Hold Reform, Retention & Micro- Grants, and Developmental Courses (see links below). These were submitted to relevant campus constituents and are currently in the implementation phase.

Hold Reform   Retention and Microgrants   Developmental Courses

Our current goal teams, Transfer Pathways, Proactive Advising (with Technology), and Pre- College Programs are continuing their work. They will follow the same process through the phases, detailed on the webpage, to identify where barriers exist and provide recommendations for how to eliminate them.

We recently hosted Moon Shot Week with a Town Hall conversation that was recorded, please click on the link below to view. We also offered professional development opportunities to learn more about equity mindedness and how to use one’s equity mindedness to focus on changing institutional practices at WCU. You’re welcome to invite our team to faculty/department/college meetings, staff meetings, or student groups to talk about the role each unit can play in our Moon Shot for Equity mission.

We know many of our colleagues on campus are designing new projects with equity in mind – or continuing to work on existing projects with an increased attention to equity. We invite you to reach out and share your work with our Moon Shot team. We are excited to collaborate with you in this work – or just to know about it so we can share more of the student success work on our campus with one another.

For more information about the WCU Moon Shot for Equity mission please contact wcupa.edu/moonshot or email the Moon Shot leadership team at moonshot@wcupa.edu. 

Moon Shot Updates

WCU and Community Celebrate the Legacy of President Fiorentino

On April 26, the WCU community was joined by joined by distinguished guests, friends, and family to celebrate the distinguished career of President Chris Fiorentino.

The tribute included performances by Wells School of Music musicians, memories shared by elected officials and distinguished guests, inspiring videos highlighting a legendary career, and a few surprises.

Watch the Video

WCU Opera Theatre Presents Leonard Bernstein's Candide May 4-5

(Story courtesy of WCU Communications & Marketing)

West Chester University Opera Theatre, part of WCU’s Wells School of Music, will stage CANDIDE by Leonard Bernstein on Saturday, May 4, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, May 5, at 3 p.m. in the Emilie K. Asplundh Concert Hall, Philips Memorial Building, 700 S. High Street, West Chester. Tickets are $12 for adults and $7 for seniors and non-West Chester students. West Chester University faculty, staff, and student tickets are FREE. Click the button below to purchase tickets.

Director of Opera Nicholas Provenzale directs CANDIDE alongside Joseph Hodge who conducts a full orchestra of strings supplemented by woodwind, brass, and percussion. Lisa Lovelace is the choreographer.

Leonard Bernstein’s comic operetta CANDIDE was first performed on Broadway in 1956. Based on Voltaire’s satirical 1759 novella about innocence, optimism, and the unexpected lessons of life, a young and naïve Candide stumbles from one earthly catastrophe to the next, gaining wisdom along the way. With a legendary score, CANDIDE is funny, philosophical, and deeply moving. It is performed in English with English supertitles.

Director Nicholas Provenzale says, “CANDIDE blurs the lines between opera and musical theatre. It is written in English and includes a lot of dialogue, which is not typical of an opera. It is beloved for its spectacular music, which includes soaring arias and an overture that has become popular of its own accord and is regularly performed on orchestra programs.”

After CANDIDE premiered on Broadway in 1956 it was reworked several times for various opera houses and Broadway revivals. WCU students perform the 1988 version, which was written for an opera company, and was the last adaptation of the show that Bernstein worked on before he died in 1990.

CANDIDE will have two separate casts for the Friday and Saturday performances. Cast members include Quinn Adams, David Arlen, James Baker, Zoe Bennett, Danny Doyle, Joe Galdi, Lily Gonglik, Frankie Jacquette, Liz Jones, Elise Leid, Angel Martinez, Mary Kate McKenzie, Jess McNeely, Braedon O’Hara, Grace Ongosi, Owen Preimon, Francesco Protasi, Becca Rock, John Rossi, Lauren Sakes, Julia Webster, and Ethan Whitney.

Purchase Tickets for "Cadndide"

WCU Hosts 2nd Annual Community Gathering & Together Endowment Forum

(Story courtesy of WCU Communications & Marketing)

WCU hosted the second annual Senator Andy Dinniman Community Gathering for Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity on Saturday, April 27. The Gathering serves as a forum for interactive dialogue and meaningful conversation to build a more inclusive nation. The 2024 theme was “Affirm Our Common Humanity” and featured a film and discussion of diverse voices from several generations of individuals in and around Chester County.

The first Community Gathering was held in the spring of 2023 on the University’s campus and was made possible by the Dinniman Together Fund: Diversity Inclusion & Equity Endowment at West Chester University (WCU). The focus of the fund is to promote diversity and equity through a renewed emphasis on our common humanity.

More than a century following the final public speech of Frederick Douglass on the campus of West Chester State Normal School on February 1, 1895, the Dinniman Together Fund continues the conversation by providing resources to support an annual gathering where the research and teaching knowledge of WCU faculty (past and present) may be shared with the greater Chester County community.

The Together Endowment is, in part, designed to build on Dr. DeBaptiste’s generosity by taking the legacy of Douglass from the campus into the greater community. Former State Senator Andrew E. Dinniman raised more than $100,000 to create the Dinniman Together Fund: Diversity Inclusion & Equity Endowment at West Chester University (WCU).

Employee Appreciation 2024 "Exploring Spaces" Launches May 14-16

Join your colleagues for WCU's Employee Appreciation Celebration-- Exploring Spaces. It's a journey, a celebration, and a thank you rolled into one. Beginning May 14 with an exclusive employee-only showing at Mather Planetarium and ending with festivities on the Quad on May 16, WCU is rolling out the red carpet for its employees. Planetarium tickets are limited so register soon.

On May 15, join President Fiorentino in The Commons for lunch and spacethemed fun with virtual reality and interactive games, a photo booth, and other immersive learning activities presented by faculty and students. The celebration ends May 16 with "Headspace & Green Spaces on the Residential Quad" (11:30 am - 1:30 pm). Unwind on the quad and cultivate positive headspace with a chill afternoon of sunshine and celebratrion. Enjoy a boxed lunch, listen to music, and appreciate the green spaces on campus. Play yard games, pet therapy dogs, join a candle-making class, practice qigong or join a bird-watching walking tour at the Gordon Natural Area.

Register for EA Launch May 15

Registration Now Open for 2024 RECAP Conference

Join us at RECAP 2024 on Thursday, May 16 to collectively navigate the challenges and explore the opportunities that arise with the integration of technology in higher education. The keynote speaker is Dr. Jason Gulya, who speak about AI for Teaching and Learning. The conference is FREE for WCU faculty, staff, and students.

Register for RECAP Conference

TLC Hosts a Celebration of Teaching

Incredible teaching happens every day across WCU. The Teaching & Learning Center will host a series of four events on Tuesday, May 7 to sample and discover new WCU teaching innovations, dialog with peers on teaching topics, and celebrate the teaching excellence that happens across WCU. The day’s events will include mini-workshops, our 9th annual Teaching Excellence Showcase, a virtual keynote presentation, and the TLC Teaching Awards Ceremony. We hope to see you there!

The Teaching Showcase is an open invitation, you can stop by any time during the event.

Schedule of Events

• 09:30 – 10:30 Mini-workshops (four 30-minute, hands-on small group workshops)
• 10:30 – 12:00 9th Annual Teaching Excellence Showcase
• 12:00 – 01:30 Virtual Keynote – “Hope in a Time of Monsters: Supporting Faculty and Student Mental Health” by Sarah Rose Cavanagh
• 01:30 – 02:00 TLC Teaching Awards Ceremony

Register to Attend a Workshop, Keynote, or Awards Ceremony

WCU Assistant Professor Signs Book Deal on Musical and Cultural Contributions of Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole

(Story courtesy of WCU Communications & Marketing)

West Chester University Assistant Professor Jeremy C. McCool and award-winning journalist Earl Hopkins have inked a deal with DC-based publisher Rowman & Littlefield to pen a book about Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole. Their forthcoming book will be an exploration into the cultural and musical contributions that the two iconic figures have made in hip-hop the past decade.

The working title How J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar Saved Hip-Hop is slated for release in Fall 2026. Dr. McCool and Hopkins will delve into the compelling journey of the musical revolutionaries, from their rise as young, promising MCs to stalwarts of socially conscious rap in mainstream music. Through research and interviews with musicians and hip-hop historians, McCool and Hopkins will illuminate how Cole and Lamar revitalized a fading subgenre and preserved an integral piece of hip-hop history through their music and brand of activism.

“We are excited to convey the impact of the modern era of hip-hop as both consumers and critics who lived through it and experienced the resurgence firsthand,” says McCool. “This book will be a staple for both hip-hop fans and media scholars. It will both discuss socially conscious rap in its proper place as a cultural phenomenon and detail how it has evolved with the help of modern innovators such as Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole.”

Hopkins adds, "While Cole and Lamar have achieved immense commercial success with chart-topping hits and platinum-selling albums, their confessional poetry and soul-stirring verses have kept the flame of socially conscious rap still burning for over a decade. We wanted to highlight their efforts in the hope that it will inspire future artists to tackle cultural, political, and social issues more in their music.”

Dr. Jeremy C. McCool is a renowned and award-winning media professor, speaker, and consultant. He is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Communication and Media at West Chester University. With a background as a hip-hop radio personality, his research, teaching, and national lectures focus on socially conscious music and representation. McCool was named a 40 Under 40 honoree by Pittsburgh Magazine in 2021. Additionally, he was named the 2022 Hughes Lecturer at West Liberty University, where he delivered an impactful lecture on socially conscious hip-hop music.

Learn more about Prof. McCool's Book Deal

Advance Registration Process For Sykes Student Union Now Available

After a successful inaugural year, Sykes Student Union is pleased to begin the 2024-2025 Advance Reservation process. Please review some of the FAQs in the link below and note the tentative timeline.

Advance Reservation is the process that Sykes Union and Student Activities implemented in 2022 to assist student organizations and university departments with reserving space within Sykes Student Union for future events.

Advance Registration   Submit an Advance Reservation Request

How to Submit Your Event to Online Campus Calendar

The WCU Calendar is populated by events submitted in 25Live, WCU's room reservation and calendaring program. Faculty/Staff may submit events to the calendar by selecting "WCU Featured Events Calendar" in the "Resources" section of the 25Live Event Form.

WCU Event Calendar   How to Submit your event to wcu calendar

Professional Headshots Available via Iris Photo Booth at Twardowski Career Development Center

Students, Faculty, and Staff now have access to the Iris Booth, a free professional photo booth located in the

Career Development Center (Lawrence 225).

Students, Faculty, and Staff can stop by anytime Monday through Friday between 8:30am and 4pm to get a photo taken, no appointment needed.

FAST Schedule & Offerings

Check out what IS&T has on tap for the semester! The Faculty and Staff Training (FAST) unit supports WCU faculty and staff in becoming proficient in various applications, in addition to providing best practices in trending platforms (e.g., OneDrive, D2L, RamCloud). Courses are designed to accommodate all levels of learning and allow users to build on acquired skills. Click below for the full schedule or take self-paced options.

FAST Schedule

Want to learn more about Navigate?

Visit our webpage. You’ll find an overview, information about Progress Reports, and our training site.

You can also check out the FAST training site and search “navigate” to final all of the Navigate-specific offerings. Here's a quick guide to the offerings.

Navigate Home page

FREE LinkedIn Learning Content Available to WCU Faculty, Staff and Students

LinkedIn Learning with Lynda.com content is an industry leader in online training, with a digital library of over 180,000 videos, covering a wide range of technical, business, software, and creative topics. West Chester University faculty, staff and currently enrolled students have unlimited access.

Access LinkedIn Learning