GREENVILLE, Pa.—A group of Thiel College Dietrich Honors Institute students opened a new study space called the “STEAM Room” on the second floor of the Langenheim Memorial Library.
Last year, in response to the research project prompt for the Honors 114: Creating Culture course, “How is your topic making a contribution to culture?” Mary Cassano ’24, a sophomore Chemistry major, and other students in the class of Professor of English Mary Theresa Hall, Ph.D. explored the idea of creating a study/recreational area at Thiel that would appeal to all students. The hope was to find a way to insert the arts and humanities into the integration of science, technology, engineering, and math, hence the acronym “STEAM.” Following Hall’s advice, Cassano developed her idea into a project to be presented at the spring 2021 Arts and Scholarship Symposium.
“I knew I could not do this project on my own, so I gathered help from several other students,” Cassano said.
Cassano recruited classmates Taylor Clayborn ’24, Emma Deitz ’24, Marissa Locondro ’23, Hailey McClain ’23, Austin Siko ’24, and teaching assistant Raquel McDonald ’22, to help in the development of her idea. Following their successful presentation at the Arts and Scholarship Symposium, the “STEAM Team,” as they named themselves, with the help of library director Tressa Snyder and Associate Professor of History and director of the Dietrich Honors Institute Sheila Nowinski, Ph.D. obtained and started renovating a room on the second floor of the library.
“At the time of the presentation, every idea that we came up with was simply a hypothetical,” Cassano said. “To see this idea come to fruition in such a short amount of time feels so exciting and surreal.”
This year, a new group of students from the Honors 114 class continued to renovate the STEAM Room, under the supervision of Cassano and Hall. The current group includes Ryan Harcourt ’24, Connor McInnis ’25, Emily Reed ’25, Kaitlyn Schmidt ’25, Kaitlyn Stamp ’25, Bailey Stilts ’24, and Hannah Stoughton ’25. The group presented at the Scholarhsip and Arts Symposium on April 21 and held an opening ceremony for the STEAM Room at 4 p.m. that day. During the opening ceremony, Hall was presented a plaque and the room was dedicated in her honor.
“The hope is that more and more students will become involved with this project and it will continue to evolve each year,” Hall said.
The room should fully furnished by the end of April.
“I can’t wait for students and faculty to see the STEAM Room,” Cassano said. “It will feel so rewarding to be able to use the room and ‘let off some steam’ by engaging in art, music, drawing, reading, in the midst of studying.”
About the Dietrich Honors Institute
Philanthropist, businessman, scholar and proud northwest Pennsylvania native William S. Dietrich II, bequeathed a $25 million fund to Thiel College. Named in honor of his parents, it is this gift that has made the Kenneth and Marianna Brown Dietrich Honors Institute possible.
Today, the Kenneth & Marianna Brown Dietrich Honors Institute has become an exclusive, four-year program open to select Dietrich Scholars who have been invited to participate in this unique educational experience that is enriched by participation in a passionate and purposeful learning community.
About Thiel College
Thiel College is an independent college founded in the Lutheran tradition. Located in Greenville, Pa., the College offers 60 majors and minors, 24 varsity sports, and an 11:1 student-faculty ratio. The College is also home to a new Master of Science in speech-language pathology and 2Master of Business Administration. Both master’s degree programs offer innovative and accelerated five-year paths which allow students to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years. The speech-language pathology program also has an accelerated 15-month graduate-level program. The M.B.A. program also has a 12-month post-graduate program.A dedicated faculty paired with dynamic research and internship opportunities produce numerous graduate school and job placements. Coeducational from its beginnings, the College remains committed to combining tradition with innovation as it celebrates 150 years.