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Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania

Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania

Christopher W. Smythe

Quarryville, Pa.
Biology
Junior

Lock Haven University has provided me with many outstanding opportunities that many larger institutions do not offer. Thanks to the Biology/Marine Biology Program at LHU, I feel as though I am fully prepared to enter graduate level studies in other institutions.

At the end of his sophomore year, Christopher W. Smyth received the prestigious Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which will provide him up to $16,000 for 2011-2012 and 2012-2013, plus a summer internship in marine biology during the summer of 2012.

Chris received the LHU Department of Biology's Marine Biology scholarship this past summer to study at the Marine Science Consortium at Wallops Island, Va. He then participated in a multi-disciplinary study-at-sea cruise aboard the Flagship Niagara. His summer 2012 internship will be at the SCRIPPS Institute of Oceanography in San Diego, California.

Chris presented a paper/poster for the North East Regional Honors Conference in Portland, Maine, earlier this year, His presentation focused on the use of DNA techniques as a conservation and research tool in fisheries and ichthyology.

Chris is AmeriCorps Community Service Liaison to the Honors Program, vice president of the Marine Science Club and treasurer of the Biology Club.

LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY PROFILE

Community

We are proud that our town name - Lock Haven - includes the word haven. Our community has been a place of comfort, relaxation and safety since the early 1800s. Known for its beautiful scenery and vast outdoor opportunities, Lock Haven provides the perfect atmosphere for learning both in and out of the classroom. Residents enjoy hiking our local trails and tubing, boating and swimming in the West Branch of the Susquehanna River while also enjoying activities at the Piper Museum, summer stock theatre at Millbrook Playhouse and the cardboard boat races at Riverfest. With annual events such as the Labor Day Regatta, Sentimental Journey and Best of Clinton County Summer Festival, the community comes together to enjoy the benefits of living in a small town . With a population of just over 9,000, the community is friendly and welcoming. Local gathering spots such as Avenue 209 host informative, social and fun events, bringing the university and the townspeople together.

Profile

Lock Haven University has a combined undergraduate enrollment of 4,969 on its main and Clearfield campuses. About 8 percent of undergraduates are from outside Pennsylvania, including 25 states and 21 other countries. LHU offers 48 majors and certificate programs with 47 minors. The university offers master’s programs in education and health sciences (Physician Assistant). In 2010-11, the university awarded 92 associate degrees, 781 bachelor’s degrees and 92 master’s degrees. In Fall 2010, there were 556 full-time employees. This included 261 full-time faculty, 82 percent with earned doctorates and 12 percent representing ethnic minorities. More than 120 students study abroad each year and more than 115 international students enrich the climate on campus. LHU offers study-abroad programs in more than 20 countries. The Global Honors Program is available for qualified students.

Most Popular Programs

Education, health science, criminal justice, psychology, business and communication media.

Highlighted Programs

Lock Haven University’s interdisciplinary nanotechnology program emphasizes undergraduate research and prepares students in all science disciplines to use nanotechnology in their respective fields of study. Student engagement through undergraduate research is a key feature, offering students opportunities to publish or present their findings in peer reviewed forums. All nanotechnology program students attend a summer semester at Penn State’s Nanotechnology Application and Career Knowledge Center (NACK) partly supported by grants from Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. The National Science Foundation began funding LHU’s nanotechnology program with grants in 2008 and 2009 amounting to nearly $700,000. The nanotechnology program has filed two provisional patents for discoveries made at LHU’s laboratories, including one patent on which a student is co-inventor.

Lock Haven University offers the only Masters Degree entry level, fully accredited, Physician Assistant program in a publicly funded institution in Pennsylvania. With four campus locations (Lock Haven, Clearfield, Harrisburg, and Coudersport) the program has been recognized for its innovative modular curriculum design that couples high tech with high touch. The program has been nationally ranked by U.S, News and World Report and boasts a more than 90 percent first-time pass rate on the national certifying examination. In 2010 the program achieved a 97 percent first-time pass rate. Graduates of the program are highly sought after, with more than 90 percent of graduates having received job offers before graduation. Graduates earn a highly competitive salary with starting salaries of $60,000 to $70,000. Admission to the program is highly competitive with more than 800 applications per year.

Intercollegiate Athletics

Men's - Baseball, basketball, cross country, football, indoor and outdoor track, soccer and wrestling (Division I).

Women's - Basketball, cross country, field hockey (Division I), indoor and outdoor track, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming and volleyball.