Thiel Happenings

Thiel College enrollment growth rises above national and regional higher education trends

Thiel College is bucking the trends of recently published reports in western Pa. media citing declining enrollments at colleges and universities regionally and nationally. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported recently that the national enrollment rate for the Fall 2021 semester is down an additional 3.2 percent following a decline of 3.4 percent in the previous academic year.

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Thiel College professor and honors director leads discussion on admissions practices

Thiel College Professor of History and Director of the Dietrich Honors Institute Sheila Nowinski, Ph.D. led a round-table discussion on honors admissions practices at the 56th annual conference held by the National Collegiate Honors Council at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort near Orlando, Fla. on Oct. 27-31.

+ Read the full story in the newsroom

Thiel College celebrating the first-generation college students in its community

Thiel College is celebrating the members of its community who are the first in their families to attend college with an event at noon Thursday in the Stamm Lecture Hall of the James Pedas Communication Center.

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Campus gathers for first in-person TNT in more than a year

The campus got together Tuesday, Nov. 9 for the first in-person gathering of Thiel News Time since early 2020. President Susan Traverso, Ph.D. delivered campus updates. Cabinet members also introduced their respective new employees.

Student researchers asking for help 

Students in PSY 382: Developmental Research Lab course need research participants.

All studies have Institutional Board Review approval, take between 5-10 minutes, and are confidential.

Purpose: Explore parents’ knowledge and understanding about body boundaries for children.
Eligible Participants: Parents of at least one child between the age of 4-10 years
Survey Link:  https://thiel.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6LjdPJowPQMvnmu
Student Contact: Tiffany Davison ’22

Purpose: Explores factors impacting intimate partner violence beliefs in the U.S.
Eligible Participants: All age groups—students, faculty, staff! 
Survey Link: https://thiel.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0qEGat5cBl3jMSa
Student Contact: Kaylee Guy ’22

Purpose: Examines selective attention, which is one’s ability to attend to one selected task and dismiss possible distractors.
Eligible Participants: All age groups—students, faculty, staff! 
Survey Link: https://thiel.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8tWgXnXuDttqU4u 
Student Contact: Raquel McDonald ’23

Purpose: Assesses parents’ attitudes about mental health treatment
Eligible Participants: Parents of any age child; meaning even if your child is now an adult, you’re still a great candidate!
Survey Link: https://thiel.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0J6xuI9kkTxKHQi 
Student Contact: Ashley Ausburn ’22

Purpose: Looks at how parent relationships, parent involvement, feelings about adulthood, and risky behaviors change during college.
Eligible Participants: College Students Only
Survey Link: https://thiel.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cXPxYhkBGQFf7CK
Student Contact: Maddy Wightman ’22

REMINDER: 2022 plan year benefit renewals

There are online sessions at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 11 for plan year benefit renewals.

Open Enrollment kicks off with ZOOM meetings.  Representatives from Thiel College’s medical, vision and dental, life & disability and retirement plans will provide important updates, review plan details and answer questions regarding 2022 benefits.

To sign up in advance. employees should check their email for information regarding the meetings.

All employees who attend a session will be entered into a drawing for a gift card!

 All benefit-eligible employees (spouses welcome) should plan to attend a session and must complete OPEN ENROLLMENT on the Employee Navigator portal.  Even if you typically waive medical, vision or dental coverage, you are required to complete open enrollment and make your selections each year.  Additionally, there will be other important information covered that you will not want to miss.

 You will receive an email prior to the meetings from Davevic and “Employee Navigator” with your login/password information.  Once you log on to the portal, you will be able to view your current coverage level, compare costs, and make benefit elections for the upcoming plan year.  The open enrollment period is 11/11/21 through 11/26/21. 

 Agenda

• Introductions: Jennifer Clark and Amy Arbogast
• Employee Navigator: Adam Segar (Davevic)
• Medical: Shawn McClure (Reschini)
• Vision, Dental, Flexible Savings Accounts: Adam Segar & Carol Kaufman (Davevic)
• Retirement: Jack Ryan & Will Ferguson (Henderson Brothers)
• Life & Disability: Paula Barnett (EIIA)

If you have any questions or need help logging in and maneuvering within the Employee Navigator portal, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Human Resources team Angela Sorg at ext. 2150, Kim Braden ’01 at ext. 2004 or Jennifer Clark at ext. 2858.

Student News

Thiel students compete in Harrisburg

Thiel College students Alex Andreozzi ’23, John Ganiear ’22, Amy Jackson ’23 and Kara Sokol ’23 traveled to Harrisburg on Monday to compete against colleges and universities from across the Commonwealth in the final round of a marketing plan competition.

The Direct Effect Innovation Challenge is run annually by the Pennsylvania Commission for the United States Semiquincentenntial (America250PA). The team did not place among the top three.

 Thiel College’s team consists of business and communication students.

• Andreozzi, of Lebanon, Pa., is a business administration management major and a 2019 Cedar Crest High School graduate.
• Ganiear, of North Versailles, Pa., is a media and journalism major and a 2018 Serra Catholic High School graduate.
• Jackson, of Pittsburgh, Pa., is a business administration marketing major and a 2018 Mount Lebanon High School graduate.
• Sokol, of Sutersville, Pa., is a business administration finance major and a 2019 Yough High School graduate. 

The theme of this year’s event is “Showcase PA,” and it challenges teams to plan integrated marketing campaigns designed to showcase Pennsylvania’s rich culture, traditions, history and future.

• Read more about the competition.

Buy some chocolate, support study abroad

Students traveling to Italy in May 2022 have begun fundraising to help offset the cost of their trip. Currently, we are selling Daffin’s chocolate. We have eight varieties to choose from:

• milk chocolate
• semi-sweet
• caramel
• crisp
• almond
• peanut butter
• pretzel (candy bars with pretzel pieces)
• chocolate covered pretzels

All items are $1 each. If you would like to place a specific order, please contact Cindy Sutton, Ph.D. at ext. 2084, and we will be happy to pull your order.

Thanks for supporting our students on what will be a truly amazing trip.