Frank and Denise Marcos, parents of Penn State Worthington Scranton graduate Michael Marcos, '10 IST, have established the Marcos Family Program Endowment in Information Sciences and Technology at the campus.
This newly endowed fund will enhance the academic and educational environment for students within the IST discipline by helping to fund support of the IST Scholars' Series and other visiting speakers; mentoring activities; special projects and programs; and faculty and student involvement.
Funds can also be used for joint undergraduate research, as some members of Worthington Scranton's IST faculty are involved in both IST and interdisciplinary research that involves undergraduate students; participation in, and attendance at conferences so students can travel to program conferences to share their research experiences and participate in conference activities; and the IST Future Forum, which is a recruiting event that allows students to explore career and internship opportunities; as well as corporate field trips.
"The faculty and students express our appreciation to the Marcos family for their thoughtfulness and generosity," said Dr. Debra Smarkusky, IST program coordinator and associate professor. "The Marcos IST Endowment will provide academic and professional opportunities that will enhance the learning and experiences for current and future IST students at Penn State Worthington Scranton."