News

• Vicki Donne, chair of the RMU Department of Education, is seeking your help with research into how school responses to the COVID-19 pandemic impacted families of children with complex needs. If you are a parent or caregiver of a child ages 5-21 with multiple disabilities attending school in Pennsylvania, you can help with this study by completing the questionnaire at https://covidparentsurvey.questionpro.com/. If you have questions, send an email to donne@rmu.edu.
   
• Kristen Davis, equipment manager and brass captain for the RMU Bands, has been selected as the 2021 National Convention Keynote Speaker by Kappa Kappa Psi, the national honorary band service fraternity. Davis was selected from among entrants all over the country who submitted an essay for consideration to be the keynote speaker. The convention started July 13 and runs through tomorrow in Grand Rapids, Mich. Davis is a senior majoring in political science and economics. 
   
• Three RMU faculty members performed an economic impact study of the Royal Dutch Shell petrochemical facility in Beaver County, finding that the project, once operational, will generate $3.7 billion annually in economic activity statewide. The RMU economic impact analysis was performed by Steve Clinton, professor of marketing; Marcel Minutolo, professor of strategic management; and Brian O’Roark, university professor of economics. The study is a follow up to the university’s 2014 analysis of the economic benefits likely to accrue from the facility’s construction. You can read more here.
   
• RMU announced this week it will partner with the newly formed Pittsburgh College Hockey Foundation in an effort to raise sufficient funds to support the reinstatement of RMU’s NCAA Division I men’s and women’s ice hockey programs. Representatives of the university and the foundation met Monday and agreed to work towards raising sufficient additional funds by July 31 to bring the teams back and position them to be financially sustainable for the foreseeable future – with an overall fundraising goal of $7 million over the next five years. You can read more here.
   
• RMU is supporting the American Council on Education's #DoublePell campaign to double the maximum federal Pell Grant award to $13,000. Pell Grants help students from low-income families afford a college education; at RMU, 27 percent of students are eligible for Pell Grants. Learn more here.

Personal Mention

• Betsy Charles, director of the RMU Bands and Performing Ensembles, has been selected as a judge of a national solo competition at the Kappa Kappa Psi/Tau Beta Sigma National Convention, sponsored by Kappa Kappa Psi (the national honorary band service fraternity) and administered by the Kappa Kappa Psi Alumni Association. Any active, conditional, or associate member of Kappa Kappa Psi is eligible to compete. The winner will receive a $500 prize and a Life Membership for Kappa Kappa Psi.

Events

• SAVE THE DATES!  The Career and Professional Development Center will be conducting both an in-person and virtual Career and Professional Engagement Fair in the Fall. The in-person fair will be held at the UPMC Event Center on September 21 from noon to 3 p.m. The virtual fair will be hosted virtually via Handshake on October 1 from noon to 3 p.m. More details to follow.

Editor's Note -- Remember that the Minuteman is now on its summer publication schedule, and will updated every other week until the start of the fall semester.