Latest news with #RalphFord
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New Carnegie Classification recognizes Behrend as a ‘Higher Earnings' college
ERIE — Penn State Behrend has received a new Carnegie Classification as a 'Higher Earnings' institution — a reflection of the return on investment for Behrend graduates. Just 10 percent of all U.S. colleges and universities received the 2025 designation, which measures graduates' earnings eight years after they enroll at a college. The designation, part of a new Student Access and Earnings Classification, is awarded by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching; it also assessed student access at the institutions that were evaluated. 'This new designation reinforces what we consistently hear from our graduates, who find success and competitive compensation in their chosen careers,' Chancellor Ralph Ford said. 'That measure is important not only to our graduates, but to prospective students who are just beginning their college experience and want to be strategic with that investment.' In February, Penn State Behrend and Penn State Harrisburg received the Carnegie Classification for 'Research Colleges and Universities,' a new designation for high-achieving research institutions that do not award Ph.D. degrees. To qualify, a college must produce at least $2.5 million in annual research and development spending. At Behrend, the research enterprise now generates nearly $10 million in sponsored research every year. Highlights from the last year include: • $6.5 million from the commonwealth's Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program to begin construction of the Center for Manufacturing Competitiveness, an industry-facing research facility that will feature specialized plastics, metal-casting and manufacturing labs. • $4.4 million from the Department of Defense and the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation to develop metals-based manufacturing programs. • $2.5 million in federal funding for a battery-testing rig that will be used to study thermal runaway — a chain-reaction that can occur when lithium-ion batteries overheat. 'Research opportunities are a pillar of Penn State Behrend's 'Open Lab' approach to learning,' Ford said. 'For students — especially undergraduates — a research experience can be a differentiator. In the lab or in the field, students more fully understand the nature of their work, and they see firsthand how they can make a difference.'
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New Penn State Behrend grads hopeful as they enter uncertain job market
More than 600 undergraduates walked across the stage this evening and walked off as part of the Penn State Behrend family. Friday night, friends, family. Alumni celebrated as Penn State Behrend awarded more than 600 degrees at their spring commencement at Erie Insurance Arena. Chancellor Ralph Ford said it's a special day to celebrate all their hard work as they graduate and go out into the world facing the challenges that lie ahead. 'I hear anecdotally our students are still actually doing pretty well. We had some really good career fairs. The students that I talked to seem to have jobs, but students that I have talked to have jobs, but it is definitely a harder time right now, so we'll see how it goes,' he said. What about the idea of artificial intelligence taking away jobs from potential employees? 'The thing about AI is it is important for our students to have those skills and that is really why we are trying to make sure that we have moving forward in education. Employers are saying they will hire students. They need to be proficient in using AI and that is really important,' Ford said Sophia DiPlacido has an internship lined up for the summer, then will look for a full-time position. What's her thoughts on the current job market? 'It's definitely really tough, but I think that Behrend has prepared students really well. I think that I have a lot of access to resources and people that are more than willing to help guide me through that to the next step, so I think that it's a really challenging market. I hope I will be able to use that to navigate it,' she told us. Another graduate we talked to said it's great to be recognized and has accepted a job after she graduates. 'It's pretty good, we can get a lot of jobs. there are lots of different opportunities we can get a lot of jobs in plastics engineering and chemical engineering and all of those certain types of things so we can work to develop Polymer for compaines you could work to sell the Polymer you could work in a design position and have lots of different opportunities,' said Marley Persch, a polymer engineering and science major. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
