Gespräch mit Mr. Hartzler (Conversation with Mr. Hartzler)

Alex Hartzler speaking with student

It was a pleasure to have Alex Hartzler visit our campus and talk to Honors students on October 25^th. I had heard a great deal about “the Alex Hartzler” before meeting him; he is the man who generously supports our honors program at Penn State Harrisburg, which we are all grateful for. I honestly expected him to be boring and lacking in sense of humor. Oh boy was I proved wrong. Mr. Hartzler is actually an amazing, witty, and altruistic man, who wants nothing but for our generation to get international experience like he did when he was a student.

Mr. Hartzler is the donor of the Hartzler Travel Award for the Honors Program. He visited our campus to share his travel experiences and how they have shaped him as a person. The conversation also provided me with the opportunity to learn about how he became involved in the Capital College Honors Program.

A 1990 Penn State Harrisburg graduate himself, Mr. Hartzler has strived for success since graduating. He was an Executive Vice President and partner of Webclients.net, and started the Harrisburg Young Professionals group in our capital city.  He is currently a partner at WCI Partners, LP, concentrating on "acquiring, rehabilitating, restoring and re-selling historic homes" in Harrisburg and other urban areas.

He used his travel experiences to help him build his magnificent career.  During the session, he shared his fond memories of Germany and how making connections internationally helped him in later life.  His traveling also helped him with his communication skills in different languages.

Being from a different country, I was curious to know if that held any advantages compared to those who were born in America.  He told me that students who were born in a different country can sometimes have more opportunities than others.  They already have a basic knowledge of a different culture, and they can use that to their advantage.  

Mr. Hartzler was adamant that students should take the opportunity to travel, whether in school or when they graduate. Having traveled to many countries himself, he expressed that he learned something new and different from each country he visited. I couldn’t agree more, because even though I was also brought up in India and the US, I think there is much more for me to discover in the world.

With his travel award, Mr. Hartzler has afforded honors students an opportunity that other students do not have.  His generous donation gives us the financial support that we need to travel.  But he did more than just give us money; he also took the time out of his day to come and share his inspiring story with us.  It was a worthwhile conversation for curious students in the Honors Program!

Written by Jyothi Kakuturu

Letter from the Editor: The Mid-Semester Blues

It's November!

For those graduating in December, November is full of final touches on thesis work and perhaps a sad nostalgia that it's almost over.  For the rest of us, it is a month filled with catching up on assignments that we've fallen behind on and trying not to fall into what I dub: mid-semester blues.

Mid-semester blues, if you're wondering, is that time where going to classes seems like a burden, and your homework is forming an ever growing pile on your desk (bed, sofa, etc.)  Textbooks are scattered across your room, and for procrastinators, this might be the first time you're opening them.  Midterms, if you haven't had them already, are looming over you like a cartoon rain cloud; and papers are due in all of your classes (on the same date).  But with all the stress of the mid-semester, all you can think about is that we're three weeks away from a blissful week off.  With that thought in mind, late October into November is sluggish and drags on forever.  Hence, the dreaded mid-semester blues.

As a senior, I've had the mid-semester blues every year of my college career.  My advice to you: don't let it get you behind.  You're going to want to skip a class, miss a homework assignment, and maybe actually clean your living space in order to avoid class work.  But remember, many of the assignments that are due from now until the end of the semester count for a large portion of your grade.  So don't slack off now.  It's not the time.

Just remember, in three weeks, you can take a break (maybe not if you're working on a thesis) and relax for a week.  That should be a motivation to do your work, not a hindrance.

Good luck!

Written by Jeshanah McLeod

Dean Brady Visits Penn State Harrisburg

The visit from Dr. Christian Brady to the Penn State Harrisburg Honors Program was an amazing experience for us students. Dr. Christian Brady is the Dean of the Schreyer Honors College at Pennsylvania State University; it was heart warming that such a busy man would take the time to come down and talk to our Honors Program students. He welcomed the union of the Capital College Honors Program and Schreyer Honors, which I am personally very thrilled about.

Jyothi Kakuturu and Dr. Christian Brady

During the student discussion hour, I appreciated how Dr. Brady thoughtfully addressed several issues questioned by the students. Not only that, but he also allowed the students to reflect on the Honors Program, leading to a very open ended, comfortable discussion. I also had an opportunity to talk to him personally about my research interests and Honors thesis. After the discussion, I had the opportunity to attend the dinner with a few other students and had a very different experience. Many of those who attended the dinner were Penn State alumni, generous donors to the Honor’s college, Dr. Ansary (the Associate Dean), and Dr. Kulkarni (chancellor of Penn State Harrisburg), honors program staff from Capital College and the Schreyer College.

The dinner at Mount Hill Tavern was the most inspiring time of the day for me. The owner of the restaurant kicked off the speeches, noting that education is the best investment one can make, and I couldn’t agree more! Dr. Kulkarni, being a former investment banker at Wall Street, further elaborated that investing in present students is a lifelong investment, as we will then invest in the education of future students. Dr. Brady said that this builds a strong foundation for Penn State Main Campus and Penn State Harrisburg’s students to have an enriched educational environment and many research opportunities. He stressed that wherever the students end up after graduation, they should always cherish and thank those have helped us achieve so much.

The whole event inspired me because of how much faith and confidence the alumni donors had in undergraduate students. This compelled me to work harder, and give back to my Penn State family now and in the future. Like Dr. Kulkarni said, “Don’t take away from Penn State’s name; add to Penn State’s name.”  On behalf of all the Penn State faculty, staff and students, I generously thank all our donors for investing in our future.

Written by Jyothi Kakuturu

Photo Credits:  Marques Paige