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Alumnus Turns His Passion For Physics and English Into A Traveling Children’s Show As Dr. Sparks

Karl J. P. Smith, Ph.D. ’11 has parlayed his passion for science and storytelling into a lifelong career by embracing his unusual combination. “A lot of people allow themselves to be placed in a box,” says Smith. “Having been trained at Allegheny College to keep in mind and understand that I can pick up anything […]

Allegheny College To Celebrate Historic Solar Eclipse at Robertson Athletic Complex

A celebration will be held at the Robertson Athletic Complex Football Stadium on April 8 from noon to 4 p.m. during the eclipse. Allegheny College community, family, friends, and guests are invited to attend. The Astronomy Club and astrophysicist Professor Jamie Lombardi will be there to answer questions and help attendees understand the phenomenon.  The […]

Allegheny College Student Completes Meadville-Fismes Sister City Internship

Did you know that Fismes, France and Meadville, Pennsylvania are sister cities with a relationship that dates back to World War I and II? American soldiers were critical in freeing the town from German Occupation, particularly in the Battle of Fismes in 1918.  For over a decade, the city of Fismes has welcomed Allegheny students […]

Allegheny Graduate Serves Marginalized Through Pediatric Surgery

Driven by a passion for serving the marginalized, Marla A. Sacks ’13 has traveled to the Philippines, Ghana, Zambia, and Vietnam to perform critical pediatric surgery in low-resource areas while pursuing a general surgery residency at the State University of New York Downstate Health Sciences University. “I am humbled each day to have the opportunity […]

Allegheny College Hosts Eighth Annual Hands-On Science Programming for Local Fourth Graders

For the eighth year, Allegheny College hosted “4th Graders as Scientists” for local students. The program, held over four days in February and March, encourages careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). It also included purposeful conservations in mathematics, chemistry, biology, environmental science, physics, computer science, and geology. In addition, it assists in preparing […]

Allegheny College Awarded $529,500 Grant by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute To Increase Inclusivity, Address Opportunity Gaps in STEM Fields

Allegheny College has received a grant of $529,500 from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) through the Science Education Program’s Inclusive Excellence Initiative. The grant will support the development of a more inclusive STEM curriculum, with the goal of ensuring that all students feel they belong and can be successful in STEM fields. “This generous […]

Senior Student-Athletes Reflect on Experiences and Self-Growth — on and off the Basketball Court

As they prepare to graduate, Allegheny College seniors and varsity basketball teammates Josh Ratesic and Jordan Greynolds look back on the experiences — in the classroom and on the court — that helped them to grow as leaders.  A four-year letter winner for the Gators, Ratesic is most proud of overcoming the adversity of playing […]

Alumnus Soars in Career as Senior SpaceX Manager

SpaceX senior manager Vincent Werner ’06 understands that physics is the basis of everything — foundational knowledge he cultivated at Allegheny College. After completing his bachelor’s degree, Werner earned a master’s degree from Purdue University in aerospace engineering. Since 2008, Werner’s career has advanced alongside the rocket startup SpaceX. “Allegheny provided me with strong technical […]

Allegheny Senior Has His Sights Set on the Planets and Beyond

Ever since his childhood growing up near Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, James Scarborough has had a keen interest in the nighttime sky and often considers what it would be like to explore those shiny points of light that he gazes at in wonder. Scarborough brought his love of the stars to Allegheny College, where he is […]

Meet Doctor Sparks, an Allegheny Graduate Who Uses Stories to Teach Science to Kids

Karl Smith has a doctorate in biophysics from the University of Rochester. He also worked at Amazon as a software engineer trying to make the Alexa voice assistant smarter. But now Smith is putting his talents to better use, he says, as a children’s science storyteller. He describes his new calling as “Mister Rogers meets […]