Impact Report Details

PennWest strengthened its commitment to innovative learning and workforce preparation with the launch of the Center for Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies, led by Dr. Camille Dempsey. The Center serves as a hub for preparing students, faculty, employees, and community partners for the responsible and effective use of AI and emerging technologies. It supports faculty with tools, training, and resources to integrate AI into teaching and learning, while fostering an inclusive environment that equips students to become adaptable, career-ready users of these technologies in a rapidly evolving world.

PennWest’s Computer Information Systems and Computer Science programs earned reaccreditation from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) through 2030, affirming program quality and academic rigor.

In nursing, the Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) program expanded to the Edinboro campus, joining existing sites at Clarion and Somerset. Additionally, the Department of Nursing received a $1.18 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration to increase the number of certified Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) in rural western Pennsylvania, supporting tuition-free certification for both adult and pediatric SANE training.

With support from a $452,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), the Beehive Innovation Center at PennWest Edinboro is empowering regional entrepreneurs and makers. This initiative promotes economic growth by providing resources for innovation, business development, and hands-on learning.

To meet the growing need for qualified educators, PennWest partnered with the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) to offer no-cost graduate credits and discounted Act 48 professional development. These programs support both current teachers and those preparing to enter the profession, strengthening the pipeline from high school to the classroom. PennWest’s continued investment in K–12 education underscores its commitment to expanding access, advancing workforce readiness, and addressing critical teacher shortages across Pennsylvania.

The PennWest Career Center continues to serve as a cornerstone for student success. In 2024–25, nearly 3,500 students—approximately one-third of the student population—used the center’s services. Among them, 98% reported gaining knowledge from their appointments, and 96% would recommend the services to others. The center hosted over 190 employer engagement events with organizations like UPMC, EY, Oracle, and the FBI and posted more than 33,500 job and internship opportunities via Handshake. Career Readiness workshops and Tech Connect networking events further supported student-employer engagement. Two new tools—Hiration, an AI-powered resume and interview platform, and Labor Market Insights—were introduced to help students prepare strategically for their careers.

The Student Success Center, in partnership with Dr. Leah Chambers, expanded the First-Year Seminar (FYS), which helped improve GPA, retention, and student confidence. With a goal to enroll 70% of incoming students in fall 2025, all FYS sections will use a shared free textbook and offer support through “First-Year Fridays” and a new “Success Essentials” site. Peer mentoring grew with the adoption of Mentor Collective, and Supplemental Instruction expanded to all campuses. Faculty teaching ENGL 1100 were also offered the option to include peer mentors. 

Support for exploratory (undeclared) students was reimagined with structured advising and mentoring. Success coaches met with an average of 40 students weekly, and nearly 1,000 tutoring appointments led to higher course completion and grade improvement.  

A renewed $50,000 donor gift supported 25 foster youth, while PennWest launched a SALUTE chapter for student veterans. The university’s advanced use of the Starfish platform continues to improve outreach and connect students to needed resources.

Our Community Assistants (CAs) fostered student engagement and created a vibrant residential experience through a variety of programs and campus involvement opportunities. Over the past year, CAs facilitated an impressive 1,784 programs and actively encouraged resident participation in both their own initiatives and broader campus events.

PennWest Edinboro’s Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) celebrated 50 years of nationally recognized support and access to education with a series of events throughout the 2024–2025 academic year. The department hosted an Open House for the PennWest and local communities to tour its updated space and learn more about available student services. The year-long celebration concluded with a spring 2025 Disability Fair featuring over 20 participating agencies and interactive activities for students, faculty, and staff. The milestone brought increased education and awareness around disability services and reinforced PennWest Edinboro’s longstanding commitment to inclusion and accessibility.

In July, PennWest announced that the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) formally reaffirmed the university’s institutional accreditation through 2033.

MSCHE accreditation is the independent seal of approval that keeps PennWest students eligible for federal financial aid and assures employers, graduate schools and licensing bodies of the rigor of PennWest’s degrees.

MSCHE is also a federally recognized accreditor, serving as the U.S. Department of Education’s “gatekeeper” for institutional quality and accountability.

PennWest’s reaffirmation caps a self-study begun in 2023, an onsite evaluation visit in March 2025 and the commission’s formal vote in June. The evaluation team praised the quality and clarity of the self-study report, which was the result of collaboration among faculty and staff members.

In academic assessment, the institutional effectiveness team worked to create a faculty-centered peer review process for assessment reports, providing programs with expert feedback and actionable insights. This initiative, a collaboration between the Director of Assessment and the Faculty Senate Assessment Committee, was launched in the winter of 2024, and the peer review process was completed in February 2025. Throughout the spring semester, the IE team also made substantial progress on other key initiatives, including the completion of 18 academic and AES unit program reviews aligned with the revised PASSHE five-year review process.

PennWest coaches received significant recognition this year for their leadership and success. Mike Conte, head coach of California baseball, announced his retirement after 29 seasons, leaving behind a legacy of over 800 wins and earning PSAC West Coach of the Year honors in his final season. Gary Dunn, California head football coach, was chosen the 2024 PSAC West Coach of Year for the first time in his career after leading the Vulcans to the Super Region One Championship game for the second time.

For the third straight year, Clarion diving coach Heath Calhoun was voted the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America Division II Women’s Diving Coach of the Year.

Justin Jennings, Edinboro men’s basketball coach, was named PSAC Coach of the Year, while Travis Myler, Edinboro tennis coach, was honored for his team’s outstanding performance, including a fifth consecutive PSAC Championship. These accolades highlight the exceptional caliber of coaching across PennWest’s athletic programs.

PennWest completed major turf replacement projects at both Memorial Stadium and Sox-Harrison Stadium in FY 2024–2025. The Memorial Stadium project included a full replacement of the under-field drainage system and artificial turf, while the Sox-Harrison Stadium turf upgrade was finalized in July. These enhancements improve safety, performance, and the overall experience for student-athletes and campus communities.

This year we launched the People of PennWest, an online platform to the voices of students and faculty to alumni making a difference. People of PennWest features inspirational stories of ambition, resilience and impact – and demonstrate what it truly means to be part of PennWest. Many of these stories are part of The Power of PennWest podcast.

Pennsylvania Western University received a transformative $3.2 million gift from Karen and Tom Rutledge in October to expand the Rutledge Institute for Early Childhood Education at the California campus. This new contribution builds on their original historic $4.2 million gift in 2018, which established the institute. The latest investment will fund the renovation of Morgan Hall, creating space to support more educational programming, foster physical development, and expand the institute’s offerings.

The expansion will allow the institute to serve additional children and deepen its impact on the region, advancing the Rutledge’s shared commitment to early learning and student success. Tom Rutledge, a 1977 graduate, and Karen Rutledge, who received an honorary doctorate in 2022, have also contributed to student development through scholarships and internships.

PennWest celebrated its third Annual Day of Giving, a university-wide initiative focused on raising funds for student scholarships and campus programs. This special day provides an opportunity for alumni, faculty, staff, students, and friends across all four campuses to contribute to areas that directly impact the PennWest community. This year, the effort raised an impressive $246,420 in support of the university’s mission.

In Fiscal Year 2024–2025, PennWest raised $10,491,282 thanks to the generosity of our alumni, donors, and friends. This remarkable support—our highest fundraising total since FY 2020–2021—directly contributed to student scholarships and academic program enhancements.

The University broke ground on a new 63,500-square-foot science center at the California campus on January 13, 2025. Part of a $39 million project funded by the Department of General Services Capital Spending Plan, the state-of-the-art facility will serve students in biology, chemistry, physics, and Earth and environmental sciences.

Set to open in early 2027, the building is designed with sustainability in mind, projected to use nearly 20% less energy than comparable structures. Upon completion, Frich Hall (1972) and New Science Hall (1959) will be removed to create green space for student recreation, while the new facility will reflect the campus’s historic architectural style.