Life after Penn State Harrisburg
Graduate students talk about how PSH helped them get to where they are
Two people: two similar jobs. Both are 1997 MBA graduates of Penn State
Harrisburg. Yet Mark Shaffer and Michele Lefever had two different experiences
as students of PSH.
Shaffer graduated with a master's degree in American studies. He is now a his
toric preservation specialist for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
(Penn Dot). "It was enjoyable. PSH was real big on hands-on experience and I like
the convenience of being able to go on a part-time basis while I worked full-time,"
Shaffer said.
Lefever attained his master's degree in public administration and also works at
Penn Dot. He is the chief preservation planner for the Bureau of Historic
Preservation.
"I have no particular massages for the school," said Lefever of PSH. "It would
have been better if I had more time, but there is limited opportunity for involve
ment when you work full-time and go to school; intellectual discussion would
have been great but there was no time."
"I wouldn't suggest going back to school when you are 46 years old," said
Lefever. "It would have been more of an experience if I had been younger. I did
n't make lasting friendships or important contacts."
Both agreed that the school was beneficial for the pursuit of their degree and in
strengthening their role in their careers. Both Shaffer and Lefever were estab
lished in their careers and were looking to go further to enhance their work. PSH
was a convenient option for them to attain their master's degrees and stay
employed.
"It was intended to enhance and improve my career," said Lefever. "In that, it
was a worthwhile investment of my time and money."
Shaffer's job entails
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it reviewing proposed proj
ects. His background is in archaeology, which he said is why he enjoyed the flex
ibility of the American studies program.
"[The program] is like a big umbrella with lots underneath it," he said.
Shaffer said with a degree in American Studies one can do a lot, from museum
work to historic preservation.
He said a highlight for him was being able to complete his master's thesis on
work he was doing for his career. He had the opportunity to get involved in a proj
ect that led him places he never imagined.
"My office is the first to receive a call when something unusual happens," he
said.
In this case, he received a call from a man in Bethlehem who found a skeleton
buried in his back yard. After traveling to Bethlehem, he discovered that this
man's home was a burial ground for soldiers who died of disease in 1776. Shaffer
completed an archeological dig and attended a commemoration in 1996 for these
soldiers.
"The opportunity to do fieldwork is seldom," said Shaffer. "I enjoyed this proj
ect and archeological digs have allowed me to appreciate diversity."
Schaeffer said he would like to stay in the agency, but there are other things he
wants to be doing. He said he cannot see himself doing this indefinitely, because
"change is good."
Lefever's position requires implementing federal and state laws regarding preser
vation and technical assistance. He spends a lot of time traveling and attending
public meetings providing technical assistance for local government and histori
cal preservation planning. Lefever said PSH helped to establish a meaning to his
career. He said his education reinforced his writing skills and enhanced his knowl
edge in critical areas such as political science and public policy.
Lefever adrrlitted that going to school in his 40s was difficult and had he gone
when he was younger, he believes he would have been a better-rounded person.
"Because I was older than the average student, I didn't get as much information
as I wanted," he said. "If I were younger and completed internships it would have
been better; I was already made."
By RACHEL SHEPHERD
Features Editor
ABOVE: Michele Lefever
said going to school at an
older age took away from his
college experience.
RIGHT: Mark Shaffer used
PSH's American Studies pro
gram to accelerate his
career in archealogy.
Lefever was not fond of the Penn State campus outside of the classroom. "It was
a dreary environment," he said about the former air force base.
"The library was terrible. If I had an assignment to do, I would use the HACC
or Shippensburg libraries. It was frustrating when I had do major research," he
said.
One thing Lefever suggested to improve the Penn State campus is a radio sta
tion. WPSH is in place on campus, but not yet up and running. Lefever empha
sized the importance of a radio station to link the Penn State community. He
believes it would be beneficial to graduate students who do not have time to get
involved on campus.
"This business of not being involved because of time would be diminished," he
said. "Because radio could be the medium to keep that together."
Lefever said he does not have any particular love for Penn State. "It didn't
become a part of my life. For some students like me, there has to be some way to
get connection," he said.
But PSH alumni will have varying experiences. Take the good with the bad
right? Shaffer said he is fortunate to have been through the program at Penn State
and made contacts for his professional business.
"In essence, I feel like I owe them [Penn State]," Shaffer said.
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