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Ryan Alu is an ambitious student. In high school, Ryan maintained a 4.2 grade point average and took thirteen Advanced Placement tests earning him enough credits to take on a triple major at SFU and still graduate within four years. The Center for Academic Success works with incoming Freshmen to make sure they are getting the most out of their college education. Dr. Renee Bernard, Associate Dean of Instruction at the Center, recalled her first meeting with Ryan to discuss his course load. "Ryan came to me during orientation on his own initiative. Some freshmen coming in with credits will

It isn’t a secret that children like to play with toys. You probably had a favorite toy when you were young. It also isn’t a secret that the Saint Francis University’s Toy Lending Library , located in the DiSepio Institute , has been lending toys to local families for years. Since 2009, the program has allowed children the opportunity, for FREE , to engage in play for growth and development. Who organizes the Library and plans the events? Toy Library Ambassadors, that’s who! Toy Ambassador and Occupational Therapy Sophomore, Allie Cummings, tells us about her experience in toy land. What is

In the town of Sabana Grande, a small agricultural based community in Nicaragua, the most common method for sanitation is pit latrines. Basically, it’s an outhouse over a hole dug in the ground. When full, the hole is simply covered and a new hole is dug. When the pits are dug in the ground and not lined by concrete or bricks, they risk groundwater contamination into the community wells used by residents. Staci Shoemaker, a Junior Environmental Engineering major at Saint Francis University, along with two students from the University of Dayton, were a part of the Engineers in Technical

Dr. Seuss’s book, Oh, The Places You’ll Go! , is practically a graduation gift requirement. A fun story about discovery and the decision to leave one’s setting and have adventures, experience new people, places, and things. This story rings especially true for Chelsea Esken, who graduated Saint Francis with a Master of Occupational Therapy degree in 2017, and is now in Hutchinson, Kansas working as a Traveling Occupational Therapist. Below, Chelsea discusses the ways the OT Program prepared her for an incredible journey. First off, what is a Traveling Occupational Therapist? Being a Traveling

Schlumberger , the world’s leading supplier of technology solutions in the oil and gas industry once again made a generous donation of their nearly $60 million software package to be used by Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering undergraduates at Saint Francis University. The donation provides 15 licenses and a maintenance contract for the next three years for different Schlumberger software products such as PETREL, ECLIPSE, PIPESIM, VISAGE, MEPO,INTERSECT, and MANGROVE. Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Seniors, Zach Rohland and John Sheesley, started working with the software PETREL in

Saint Francis University's nursing program has been ranked the number one nursing program in Pennsylvania by RegisteredNursing.org . Nursing programs were assessed on several factors, which represent how well a program supports students towards licensure and beyond. Past and present NCLEX-RN “pass-rates” weighted by year, were analyzed for this ranking. Saint Francis University’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program recently became the only program in the state to have 100 percent of its graduates pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) for the past four consecutive

Students in the Environmental Studies program can now apply their lessons in homesteading and sustainability in a newly built greenhouse—or its proper term, hoop house. The steel-framed, tented tunnel was built on the university grounds near Torvian Dining Hall—a fitting location, as the Torvian chefs will soon be cooking with the fresh produce grown inside the modern structure. Dr. Lauri Chose , Director of the Environmental Studies program, is looking forward to the many opportunities the hoop house will provide for her students. “It allows us to work with our growing seasons instead of

Dr. Alireza Shahkarami, Assistant Professor of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering program, received a $70,000 grant from the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) Petroleum Research Fund for Undergraduate Research. The three-year grant allows Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering students to conduct research titled “An Experimental Investigation of Microemulsion Phase Behavior at High Pressure and High Temperature Conditions.” Dr. Shahkarami’s research proposal aims to investigate the effect of the water/oil ratio, pressure, temperature, and oil composition on surfactant phase behavior.

Saint Francis University students looking to study abroad have another option this year to go global: spring break in the Galapagos Islands. The excursion for Biology students departs March 2nd and returns March 10th, 2018 and will fulfill a three credit Field Biology course requirement. Professors Dr. Gail Drus and Dr. Melissa Meadows will accompany ten students on the nine-day excursion. Before departing for the islands off the coast of Ecuador, students will research the ecology and learn about the conservation efforts. Once there, they will experience firsthand the stark differences in

A tiny house phenomenon is sweeping the nation. The typical American home is about 2,600 square feet, but more Americans are choosing to downsize into tiny homes with less than 400 square feet. Tiny houses enable people to live a smaller, simpler life in an efficient space. The idea to build a 160 square foot, tiny classroom was developed in the spring of 2017 by Allison Rohrs, Director for the Institute of Energy at Saint Francis University. “The idea is to utilize the tiny house model in order to educate students and the community about renewable energy, efficient living and producing a