Lycoming College senior Laura Brennan, a photography and biology major, was recently selected as the winner of the Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Employers (PennACE) JoAnne Day Student of the Year Award in the Liberal Arts category. Each year, the award is given to recognize notable interns at eligible institutions in the state of Pennsylvania for four different categories: Technical, Liberal Arts, Business and Associates Degree.
“It meant a lot to me to be to be recognized for the work that I put into my internship and to be a part of such an important project,” said Brennan. “There's no doubt in my mind that all of the nominees were part of incredible projects, and I'm so thankful that Ralph Wilson let me be a part of the Stay exhibit at the Williamsport Community Darkroom.”
Brennan competed with students from colleges and universities, including Penn State University, Susquehanna University, Juniata College, Duquesne University, Grove City College, Seton Hill University, Muhlenberg College and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She will be officially recognized at the spring 2015 PennACE Conference. The Conference will be held at the Penn Stater Conference Hotel in State College, Pa. from May 19-21, 2015.
Brennan, a native of Ashland, Pa., served as a photography intern for the Williamsport Community Darkroom through the Williamsport Internship Summer Experience (WISE) program. She had a unique internship experience, as she was working on a photography exhibition that dealt with painful subjects, such as depression, self-injury and suicide.
“During the internship [Brennan] demonstrated extraordinary professionalism with a subject that required maturity and self-direction dealing with such difficult emotions,” said Anne Landon, assistant director of Lycoming College’s Institute for Management Studies and internship coordinator. Landon nominated Brennan for the award.
The Williamsport Community Darkroom is a black and white darkroom facility located in the historic Pajama Factory in Williamsport, Pa. The Darkroom is a project of the nonprofit arts organization, Center for Creativity, and is open to anyone in the community who is interested in learning or advancing their skills of black and white film photography.
The PennACE JoAnne Day Student of the Year Awards are given in memory of JoAnne Day, a longtime colleague and friend to many involved in cooperative education, academic internships and career services, who died in 2005 after a two-year battle with cancer. Day’s professional tenure spanned decades and included a time as director of career development and assistant dean of students at Lycoming College.
The Pennsylvania Associate of Colleges and Employers is a collaborative organization of career development and recruitment professionals that provides professional growth and networking opportunities designed to enhance career development practices for Pennsylvania college and university students and graduates.