PennWest students are playing a central role this summer in strengthening Oil City’s downtown and local economy. Through internships supported by McElhattan Foundation grants, students are working with the Oil City Main Street Program, ARTS Oil City, Venango County Chamber of Commerce, and Century Design and Fine Arts Studio.
These partnerships give students the opportunity to apply their learning in real settings while contributing to a shared goal: a vibrant downtown that reflects Oil City’s identity as an arts-centered community that draws residents, businesses and visitors.
Now in the second year of a $332,000 McElhattan Foundation grant, PennWest is placing students with regional partners to help meet workforce needs. The funding, awarded in 2025, supports stipends for students working in Clarion and Venango counties, where the McElhattan family has longstanding ties.
Natalie Battaglia, of Brookville, a senior business management major at the Clarion campus, is working two days a week with the Oil City Main Street
Program.
Main Street programs offer hands-on experience in community development, marketing and communications, event planning, economic development and nonprofit operations. The work is practical, visible and rooted in community needs, creating a clear connection between education and opportunity.
Battaglia works closely with program manager Stevette Rosen, contributing to summer events such as First Friday, Thursday Curb Market, Music on the Square and BridgeFest – her primary focus.
“I plan what will take place on the bridge and where,” she said. “I also organize vendors for several events and support behind-the-scenes work. I get to experience a little of everything that goes into the program.”
Rosen said the internship has been especially valuable during a busy season for the volunteer-based organization.
“Summer is extremely busy due to the increased number of events. Natalie has been very helpful in designing posters, creating Facebook posts, doing database entry and so much more,” Rosen said. “It’s an honor to give the intern a true hands-on experience while also supporting our program’s goals.”
Battaglia particularly enjoys the Curb Market, which highlights local vendors and artists.
“It has produce that supports the local community, and local businesses can sell handcrafted items,” she said. “Artists don’t necessarily have a storefront, but people can go there to buy from them.”
Through the internship, she is applying classroom skills in community outreach, event planning and grant work while gaining a clearer sense of her future.
“I’ve realized that I want my career to be working in the community,” Battaglia said.
Tom Lewis, of Mercer, has known since childhood that he wanted a career as an illustrator.
A Bachelor of Fine Arts - Studio Arts student with a concentration in illustration at the Edinboro campus, he is interning
with Century Design and Fine Arts Studio, which focuses on historic home restoration,
interior design and original hand-painted artwork.
Lewis values the opportunity to “plunge into the business of art and get genuine experience with working artists.”
Having lived in Oil City for several years while growing up, he already feels connected to the community. His work with studio owners Barbara Pierce and CJ Hurley has shown him that a career in illustration can take shape outside of a major city.
“I knew that with technology in the art world evolving, you can do it from anywhere, but with an asterisk,” he said. “You need to be in a community that cares about the arts and wants to see the arts succeed.”
Lewis said the Edinboro art program has prepared him for that path by emphasizing both creativity and professional practice.
“The program isn’t just about making a good illustration, but learning how to develop a workflow,” he said. “Assignments are structured like a professional career – 25 to 30 percent of the program focuses on how to build one.”
His internship aligns with his goal of freelance work and eventually running his own studio. This summer, he is gaining experience communicating with clients and supporting daily studio operations.
“This is what I want to do – I want to run a studio,” Lewis said. “I’ve helped with packaging prints, cutting glass for frames and conducting research.”
He also serves as president of PennWest’s Illustration Club and is a student member of the Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators.
Morgan Taber, of Gibsonia, is interning with ARTS Oil City, an organization that promotes
the city’s low cost of living and historic character while supporting artists relocating
to the region. She works with Barbara Pierce, coordinator of ARTS Oil City.
A Bachelor of Fine Arts - Media Arts major with a concentration in animation at the Edinboro campus, Taber balances creative and administrative work but is especially drawn to projects that allow her to design and tell stories.
She creates posters for First Friday and has interviewed local artists involved in the PA 250 Bell project, writing spotlight features to share their work with the community.
“I’m learning how to budget my time better and to build professional relationships,” Taber said. “Barbara gives me tips along the way about how to handle things professionally.”
Interviewing was new for Taber, but it has added to the skills she is developing through both her coursework and internship.
Her interest in art began at a young age and continues to build through each experience.
“Since I was about 10 years old, I would see other creators making work, and I thought it was interesting,” she said. “It made me want to learn those skills myself.”
She brings previous internship experience as well, including work with a studio that created promotional materials for Marvel. That experience, combined with her current role, has strengthened her confidence.
“Every student doubts themselves sometimes, but lately I feel good about the work I’m doing – both here and through freelance projects at home,” she said.
Jordan McCown chose to spend his summer in Venango County after weighing another opportunity
closer to home in Philadelphia. In the end, he was drawn to the chance to build connections
and contribute in a meaningful way.
“It was a really hard decision,” he said. “But here, I get to build something that’s going to last. I get to make all of the connections.”
A communication major, McCown is interning with the Venango County Chamber of Commerce, supporting its Be Here Venango social media efforts. His work focuses on highlighting the people and businesses that shape the region.
“I like to tell real stories about real people,” he said. “I try to build a deep personal connection with everyone I come across.”
Drawing on his experience as a student-athlete with a disability, McCown brings a personal perspective to his work and aims to create stories that resonate.
“A lot of people in my position think their life is over – that they can’t do anything,” he said. “I want them to see that’s not true.”
His background with Edinboro’s student newspaper, The Spectator, and his work co-hosting a podcast have helped him develop a thoughtful approach to interviews.
“I like to start by getting to know the person, then go deeper,” he said. “It’s about listening and finding where the story can go.”
This summer, he is gaining experience in content creation and community engagement, meeting residents and business owners to learn about their experiences.
“I’ve been hearing why they came here, what they like about the area and what their business means to them,” he said.
Just a few weeks into the internship, McCown said the experience is already shaping his confidence and direction.
“It’s helping me create better content, build confidence and keep showing up every day,” he said.