News

• The School of Engineering, Mathematics and Science hosted the PA Cyber Virtual Engineering Exploration Experience for more than 60 high school students to learn about the engineering field and explore their post-secondary educational options. Arif Sirinterlikci, associate dean of research and outreach and university professor of engineering, taught the students during 14 sessions about the manufacturing engineering programs offered at RMU.
   
• Michelle Patrick, dean of the School of Business, and Eliada Griffin-EL collaborated to earn SBUS a $240,000 grant from the S. Kent Rockwell Foundation to establish the “Rockwell Fellowship in Entrepreneurship and Innovation.” This fellowship is to be spread out over the next three years and is designed to invoke students’ entrepreneurial mindset and to further develop their value - creating innovation capabilities. This fellowship presents an opportunity for selected RMU students to champion transformative and empowering experiences of entrepreneurship for the entire campus while developing their own respective initiatives.

• RMU was among several colleges and universities to benefit from “Unpack U”, a partnership between the Pittsburgh Pirates and EMBRACE Pittsburgh. “Unpack U” is an innovative, inclusive program to help universities address the extraordinary transitions facing today’s college students as they head back to school in the next few weeks. Representatives from nine universities and colleges from the greater Pittsburgh region, including presidents, faculty and student leaders, visited PNC Park on Thursday, August 13, to receive their portion of 20,000 “Steel Safe” kits for students to assist in keeping them mentally and physically safe as they return to campus. Read more here.

Personal Mention

• RMU has named Jacob C. Peng the first Richard J. Harshman Professor of Accounting. Peng is department head of accounting and taxation in the School of Business, and has been a member of the faculty at RMU since 2014. He has received numerous awards for teaching and scholarship throughout his career, including the RMU Faculty Global Engagement Award and RMU School of Business Excellence in Teaching Innovation Award. Peng has developed new courses at RMU, and has published numerous scholarly research articles. The endowed professorship supports research, salary, scholarly activities, student enrichment activities, and related travel for a professor in the accounting and taxation department. Read more here.