The eighth annual White Coat ceremony was held by the Bloomsburg Department of Nursing on Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Haas Center for the Arts on campus. Bloomsburg is part of Commonwealth University. The White Coat Ceremony celebrates sophomore nursing students who are entering the next phase of their education. In all, 126 students pledged their commitment to quality patient care. The most important element of the ceremony is the oath that students take in front of family members, faculty, school leaders, and peers. Bloomsburg was among the first 100 schools to hold such a ceremony, supported by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation.

Career experiences such as internships are a fantastic way for students to apply what they've learned in class, experience career fields first-hand, and/or course-correct career paths they may not like," explained Wren Fritsky, Director for Career and Professional Development. "Some companies hire exclusively from their intern pool, so it greatly increases a student's chance of finding a career fit right after graduation."

Audiology doctoral students from Commonwealth U-Bloomsburg participated in the Special Olympic Summer Games this June in State College. After a two-year pause due to the pandemic, the Special Olympics Pennsylvania Summer Games were held at Penn State University in State College from June 2 to 4. The event attracted more than 2,000 athletes and 750 coaches from across the state to compete in aquatics, athletics, basketball, bowling, equestrian, golf, gymnastics, softball, and tennis.

The 2022-23 executive board for the Community Government Association (CGA) of Bloomsburg, part of Commonwealth University, has been announced. The CGA oversees various areas including: Community Activities, Kehr Union Building, University Store, Student Recreation Center, and the Honeysuckle Student Apartments. Above all, CGA encourages diversity in all its efforts and seeks to encourage all constituents to become involved in the governance process.

When Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg student Anthony Zola, a senior marketing major, attended the Philadelphia 76ers Sports and Entertainment Career Fair in March, he knew it was going to be challenging to stand out in the crowd of job and internship seekers. But, after making a connection with a minor league hockey team whose royal purple and silver lion stood out to him, Zola, from Harrisburg, spent his summer with the Reading Royals.

Students from Bloomsburg, part of Commonwealth University, recently participated in internship experiences via The Washington Center (TWC) in Washington, D.C. TWC's Academic Internship Program is composed of three components: an internship, academic coursework, and career readiness programming - each designed to help students translate their academic and professional interests into careers they love. Bloomsburg has helped its students launch fulfilling careers as a regular partner of TWC for more than a decade.

A record number of 157 Bloomsburg University Student-Athletes received the Division 2 Athletic Directors Association (D2 ADA) Academic Achievement Award. The D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award, in its 15th year of existence, is given to student-athletes who have maintained a grade point average of 3.5 or higher during the 2021-22 academic year and has attended a minimum of two years (four semesters) of college-level classes.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania congratulates the 1,150 students who received their academic degrees the weekend of May 13-15. The overall grade point average necessary to graduate with honors distinction is: cum laude (with distinction) 3.5 - 3.74 overall average; magna cum laude (with great distinction) 3.75 - 3.94 overall average and summa cum laude (with highest distinction) 3.95 - 4.0 overall average.

The Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania (Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, Mansfield universities) Doctorate of Audiology Class of 2024 received their whitecoats on Saturday, July 23, at the Frosty Valley Resort in Danville. The whitecoat signifies the students have achieved the knowledge and skills to transition into the next phase of their clinical training, which is off-campus clinic rotations.

The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) recognized a school-record total of 297 Bloomsburg University student-athletes for the 2021-22 academic year as scholar-athletes. The 297 Huskies join a PSAC-record of 4,144 student-athletes from the league's 18 institutions. To be eligible, the 2021-22 student-athletes must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 upon completion of the academic year. With 4,144 student-athletes eligible, it marked 53% of the PSAC student-athlete population. The PSAC has registered at least a 30% growth rate for 14 consecutive years.

Bloomsburg University students participated in an intense professional development program this spring at the Greenly Center in downtown Bloomsburg. During the three-day Career Intensive Boot Camp (CIBC), students learned the "soft skills" of professionalism through team building and personal branding exercises, alumni panels and employer presentations, as well as a networking lunch and etiquette dinner. Topics included everything from navigating career paths and money management to student loan repayment and job searching. Students also had the opportunity to have their resume reviewed and practice their interviews, as well as become comfortable with professional networking.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania congratulates the nearly 1,950 students who were named to the Spring 2022 Dean's List. To qualify for Dean's List, a student must earn a grade point average of 3.5 or higher (based on 4.0) during the semester.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania held its First World Graduation Ceremony on April 26, 2022, sponsored by the BU Multicultural Center. The bi-annual First World ceremony is celebrated each fall and spring to congratulate the achievements - academic and leadership roles - of BU's multicultural students at the baccalaureate and graduate degree levels.

The Bloomsburg University Department of Political Science recently presented its yearly awards at an event on campus hosted by the Political Science Student Association.

Bloomsburg University's Nu Chapter of Chi Alpha Epsilon, the National Honor Society that recognizes the academic achievements of college students in access and scholar programs, recently celebrated the induction of 10 new members. Chi Alpha Epsilon was founded in 1990 at West Chester University in response to the increasing need to acknowledge the continuing successes of students in the university's academic development program. Program directors at colleges and universities across the country have hailed the society's formation, and in 1996 the National Association of Developmental Educators endorsed Chi Alpha Epsilon as the Honor Society for developmental program students.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania celebrated 104 graduating nursing students Saturday, May 7, with a nursing pinning ceremony in Haas Center for the Arts on campus. Nursing students receive their pin through a "pinning ceremony" which is a way to celebrate their accomplishments as well as a way to look forward to their future as professional nurses. The first nursing pin or 'badge' in the United States was presented to the class of 1880. This badge was created by the first Nightingale School of Nursing at Bellevue Hospital. It symbolized vigilance, mercy, and relief of suffering. The distinctive nursing pin of BU was designed by the students of the class of 1979, the first graduates of the nursing program. The first part of the pin is its colors, maroon and gold, which represent the colors of Bloomsburg University. The second part is the Nightingale flame which signifies enlightenment, new knowledge and new experiences. The final part of Bloomsburg's nursing pin is the inscription "QUALITAE OED/CAT" which means dedicated to quality. These three parts of the nursing pin symbolize the accomplishments of Bloomsburg University nursing students. It signifies achievement, dedication and commitment to nursing.

In the annual Plays in Bloom Residency, Bloomsburg University students and recent alums will collaborate with a guest professional playwright in a week-long development of a full-length play, then participate in a festival of short new plays written by student and alum playwrights. The staged readings of each of these plays is a chance for general audiences to respond to the plays-in-progress. Each reading will include a guided post-play discussion about the plays.

The Geisinger/Bloomsburg University Nurse Anesthesia Program's Class of 2022 students won the annual College Bowl at the Pennsylvania Association Of Nurse Anesthetists (PANA) Spring Symposium in Hershey, Pa. The College Bowl contestants included 11 teams from eight universities across Pennsylvania. The annual competition challenges anesthesia programs from across the region in a test of anesthetic knowledge. The winners will retain possession of the oxygen tank trophy at the BU nurse anesthesia program office until next year's event.

Eight Bloomsburg University students were among 24 cadets presented with awards during the Wilkes University Air Force ROTC Detachment 752 annual awards ceremony on Thursday, April 21.

Bloomsburg University is hosting its 11th Annual Dance Minor Concert, Finding our Footing, presented by the BU Players and the Division of Theatre & Dance. The Dance Minor Concert will be held on Sunday, May 1, at 3 p.m., and Monday, May 2, at 7:30 p.m., at Mitrani Hall in the Haas Center for the Arts. Admission is free.

Bloomsburg University held its Fall 2021 commencement ceremonies on Friday, Dec. 10, 2021 and Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021 at the Haas Center for the Arts, Mitrani Hall, on campus. Overall, 461 students (85 graduate students and 376 undergraduate students) earned their degrees from the School of Graduate Studies, the Zeigler College of Business, the College of Education, the College of Liberal Arts and the College of Science and Technology.

The Bloomsburg University speech and debate (forensics) team won the First Place Team Sweepstakes Award at the Collegiate Forensic Association's Annual Beach Tournament in Ocean City, Md. the weekend of March 4-5, 2022. BU finished ahead of Florida College, Randolph-Macon College, Shepherd University, the University of Richmond, and the University of Lynchburg. The win was the fourth straight tournament in which Bloomsburg brought home the First Place Team award. BU also won the prestigious CFA "Welch-Strine" Cup that recognizes the top speech and debate team in the Collegiate Forensic Association for the academic year. The Welch-Strine Cup is named for the founders of the CFA, Professor Emeritus, Harry C. Strine III of Bloomsburg University, and Dr. Robert Welch, Professor Emeritus of Fitchburg State University in Massachusetts. This is the second time in three years BU has won the Welch-Strine Cup.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania students recently participated in internship experiences via The Washington Center (TWC) in Washington, D.C. TWC's Academic Internship Program is composed of three components: an internship, academic coursework, and career readiness programming - each designed to help students translate their academic and professional interests into careers they love. Bloomsburg University has helped their students launch fulfilling careers as a regular partner of TWC for more than a decade.

The Bloomsburg University Forensics Team won the First Place Sweepstakes Award out of six schools at the Collegiate Forensic Association's Annual "Southern Excursion" Tournament hosted by Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, W.V. on Feb. 11-12.

The BU Players present A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare, newly adapted by the BU Players and BU Professor Dr. Carrie Winship, March 3 through 6. The performances are Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Alvina Krause Theatre, 226 Center Street, in downtown Bloomsburg. This classic Shakespearean story is filled with lovers and fairies, magical transformations, forgeries of jealousy, and a play within a play performed by the Rude Mechanicals. Magic and mischief abound in this play in which "The course of True Love never did run smooth."

More than 500 students from Bloomsburg University recently completed academic internships. Bloomsburg University has established relationships with more than 2,000 companies across the United States, such as JP Morgan Chase & Co., Comcast, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), The Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Verizon, and the Walt Disney Company. Internships are part of The Professional U experience at Bloomsburg University which connects students with alumni, employers, and opportunities that integrate academics with experiential learning. Through professional development and career experiences, students build the skills and confidence necessary to impact their community and profession.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania congratulates the more than 2,000 students who were named to the Fall 2021 Dean's List. A full-time student whose semester GPA is 3.5 or higher in 12 or more semester hours of course work for which a grade or grades are received are named to the Dean's List.

Bloomsburg University held its bi-annual First World ceremony on Tuesday, Dec. 7. The First World Ceremony is celebrated each December and May to congratulate the achievements - academic and leadership roles - of BU's multicultural students at the baccalaureate and graduate degree levels.

Over 20 Bloomsburg University students participated in an intense professional development program from September 20 to October 25. During the Career Intensive Boot Camp (CIBC), students learn professionalism and how to leverage their transferrable skills, as well as have the opportunity to connect with alumni in their industry. Live discussions and self-paced content included advice for the first week on the job and navigating office relationships, as well as information on finances and salary negotiation. Students also had the opportunity to have their resume and cover letter reviewed, and participate in live networking sessions and mock interviews.

The Bloomsburg University Alumni Association has announced the recipients of the 2021 Alumni Legacy Scholarship. The association awards the scholarships each year to current Bloomsburg University students who are a child or grandchild of a Bloomsburg University graduate. The scholarship has been a longstanding tradition of the Alumni Board of Directors, and has provided more than $240,000 in scholarships since 1998. BU alumni can register their child or grandchild every fall that their student is registered for spring classes at the university. All students are chosen via random drawing.