Thiel Happenings

Greenville businessman Childs to be awarded honorary degree at Honors Convocation

Thiel College will honor Bail USA, Inc. founder and Chairman of the Board Harvey Childs, M.A., with an honorary degree at its Academic Honors Convocation at 7 p.m. Nov. 6 in the William A. Passavant Memorial Center.

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College hosting Community Medical Ethics Project’s vaccine discussion

The Community Medical Ethics Project, a collaboration between UPMC Horizon, Thiel College, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and St. Paul’s Continuing Care Community will discuss “Vaccinations: The Reality Behind The Debate” on Nov. 11 in the Lutheran Heritage Room of the Howard Miller Student Center on the Thiel College campus.

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Attorney specializing in food and drug law named 2015 Haller Entrepreneur of the Year

Thiel College announces James M. Parker, M.S., Ph.D., J.D. ’64—an attorney concentrating in food and drug law—has been named the 2015 Thiel College Haller Enterprise Institute Entrepreneur of the Year. He will be presented the honor at the Howard Miller Student Center at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4.

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Unique class offerings showcased in Biology video

Professors Sarah J. Swerdlow, Ph.D., Delbert Abi Abdallah, Ph.D., and Michael T. Balas, Ph.D. discuss the Department of Biology in the most recent departmental video.

Highlights include the possibility for student and faculty research projects and Thiel College's unique position as just one of three schools in Pennsylvania that offer conservation biology as an undergraduate major.

• Subscribe to the Thiel College YouTube channel

Annual Halloween Party a real treat with a couple tricks

Monkeys, sharks and characters from the game 'Clue' were among the costumes featured at the Thiel College employee Halloween party on Oct. 30. The sharks were the big winners as the Office of Student Life won the team costume contest for "Shark Week" and Director of the Thiel Fund Leta Jeffers won for the best individual costume for "Bun in the Oven." Carved pumpkins, guessing games and a real-life game of "Clue" put on by the Academic Affairs and President's offices rounded out the great event.

  View photos from the staff Halloween Party

Photos from many Thiel College events are online at Flickr. 

Disability Resource Center Minute

Director of the Disability Resource Center Tami Micsky, M.S.S.A., L.S.W., C.T., will discuss important issues regarding her office in the “Disability Resource Center Minute” in this space each month during the academic year. If you have any questions, contact Micsky at ext. 2063.

This week, she tackles "Invisible disabilities."

Richard Branson, head of the Virgin empire, told an interviewer that due to dyslexia he had a “miserable” time at school and left at age 15 (TED 2007). Branson also said that despite “running the largest group of private companies in Europe” he could not remember the difference between net and gross until someone took him aside after a meeting and drew pictures explaining that the net was like a net in the sea pulling in fish—what was left in the net was his profit. With that visual image, Branson finally remembered the difference.

Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling has been open about her experience with clinical depression. Her experience with depression inspired her creation of the Dementors in the Harry Potter series.

JetBlue CEO David Neeleman has turned his ADD to his advantage, using it to help him focus on the things that he is passionate about. In an interview with Attitude magazine, Neeleman said, “”If someone told me you could be normal or you could continue to have your ADD, I would take ADD.”

“Invisible” disabilities are most commonly viewed as challenges we cannot readily see—learning differences, cognitive impairment, brain injury, chronic illness and mental health disorders. These are not always obvious to the onlooker, but can sometimes or always limit daily activities, range from mild challenges to severe limitations and vary from person to person. In our educational and work environments, it is important to keep in mind that students or coworkers may be coping with an invisible disability.

Student News

Women's volleyball wreath sale

The Thiel College women's volleyball team is selling handcrafted wreaths created by a local artisan. The colors, words and logos are all personalized. Wreaths cost $25. For more information or to purchase a wreath, contact coach Kelly Barzak.