After completing her military service in the spring, Daelyn Mynes traded the busy, crowded atmosphere of a Navy ship for the peaceful environment of the Penn State Wilkes-Barre campus. She was stationed with a squadron in Virginia Beach as a logistics specialist in the supply department. Mynes' five-year deployment ended in March 2022 and she returned home and enrolled at Penn State Wilkes-Barre.
Students take many paths to studying at Penn State Wilkes-Barre. During National Transfer Student Week, October 17-21, we are sharing the stories of three students who have transferred to Penn State Wilkes-Barre to pursue a bachelor’s degree.
After earning an associate degree in music recording technology, Virginia Gugliotti transferred to Penn State Wilkes‑Barre to pursue a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering technology. She hopes to use both of her degrees to work in audio electronics and make music.
Penn State Wilkes-Barre faculty member Luciana Caporaletti traveled to Peru in May to study plants used for medicinal purposes by indigenous people. Her research team visited a remote area of the Amazon rainforest in the northeastern part of the country, living with members of the Urarina tribe as they learned about the plants and tribal culture.
Andrew Zimmerman came to Penn State Wilkes-Barre with the intention of moving on to University Park after two years. But after getting immersed in his information technology major, he decided to stay at the local campus to complete his degree.
Penn State Wilkes-Barre is known for having dedicated faculty and staff members, many of whom spend their entire careers serving students here.
Dudley Snyder, David Chin and Lorna Chin embody that commitment, having spent a combined total of more than 80 years at Penn State Wilkes-Barre. All three are retiring and said that while they are looking forward to the next chapter, they will miss the family atmosphere and students at the campus.
Dylan Fredricey and Camaryn Lokuta, who earned their degrees in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, talk about where they are employed and how Penn State Wilkes-Barre led them there.
Gabriela Gronkowski wants to study veterinary science in the Caribbean and chose to start at Penn State Wilkes-Barre to help her get there. An animal lover ever since she can remember, she began taking care of others’ pets and realized she wanted to spend her career caring for animals. Gronkowski is majoring in animal sciences and chose Penn State’s 2+2 Plan to give her a smoother college transition.
First-generation college student Hailey Carey thought Penn State Wilkes-Barre’s smaller size would be ideal for making the move to college—and she couldn’t be happier with her decision to attend.
“I didn’t know what to expect from college. I wanted to be more comfortable and have an easier transition. That’s why I chose a campus close to me,” said Carey, a first-year student.
The thousands of students who have come through Penn State Wilkes-Barre since Jacqueline “Jackie” Warnick-Piatt began working at the campus in the late 1990s now have the opportunity to connect with her as alumni.
After 23 years in her role as student activities coordinator, Warnick-Piatt began a new position as alumni relations and stewardship officer in late 2021.
