Out of countless students, staff, faculty, alumni, administrators and community members at Penn State, one of Western Illinois Universitys own professors has been named one of the Faces of Penn State.

Journalism professor Yong Tang is receiving this honor.

The program showcases the personal accomplishments, public contributions and pioneering spirit resulting from the Penn State experience, education and community, Faces of Penn States website said.

Some of (the other people on the list) are local prize-winners; some of them are national Olympic medalist; some of them are Miss Pennsylvania; some of them are renowned social science scholars, so I feel I am privileged, Tang said. I am honored to be listed among such a wonderful group of people. Its a great honor for me to represent Penn State.

Having grown up in poverty in Sichuan Province, China, Tang has come a long way from his roots.

As a child, he grew up without newspapers, magazines, radio or TV. The only communication tool was word of mouth.

Despite these setbacks, Tang always enjoyed reading and writing when he was young.

My primary school, middle school and high school teachers all praised me for my writing and was considered as models for other students, he said.

Tang didnt start reading newspapers until he first started college at Sichuan International Studies University. He wrote articles for the schools university-controlled newspaper and also started a student-run magazine with two other classmates.

The purpose (of the publication) was to encourage students to read more, read more English books so can have a broader knowledge base, he said. So, I published a lot for that publication.

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Professor receives Penn State recognition

Newswise David Fleming, MD, chair of the Department of Internal Medicine and director of the Center for Health Ethics at the University of Missouri School of Medicine, will be named president-elect of the American College of Physicians (ACP) the largest medical specialty organization in the United States. Fleming's one-year term as president-elect begins during ACP's annual scientific meeting in San Francisco, which starts April 11. He will then serve as president of ACP from 2014 to 2015, the centennial year for the organization that was founded in 1915.

ACP is a national and international professional organization of internists physicians who specialize in the prevention, detection and treatment of illnesses in adults. Its membership of 133,000 includes internists, internal medicine subspecialists, medical students, residents and fellows.

"I am deeply honored to serve ACP and medicine in this capacity," Fleming said. "These are challenging times with the rapid and historic changes now taking place in our country's health care environment. It will be critically important that all of us be mindful of these challenges. It is also important that organizations like ACP continue to take a leading role in helping to shape the inevitable change to come in a positive and constructive way. I look forward to the challenge."

Fleming is a professor of medicine, and he has been director of the MU Center for Health Ethics since its inception in 2001. He established the center after completing a research fellowship in primary care and clinical bioethics at the Center for Clinical Bioethics at Georgetown University. MU's center has since developed a prominent state and national presence for improving the health of the public through patient-centered programs related to ethics and professionalism in education, research, clinical service and organizational performance.

Fleming has been a member of ACP since 1980 and a Fellow of the American College of Physicians since 1986. He served on ACP's Ethics and Human Rights Committee for many years, most recently as chair from 2012 to 2013, and as vice chair for ACP's Health and Public Policy Committee. He was governor for the ACP Missouri chapter from 2007 to 2011, and chair of ACP's board of governors from 2011 to 2012. While serving as its governor, the Missouri chapter received the John Tooker Evergreen Award for member outreach in 2009. Fleming also received the Laureate Award for outstanding service to medicine and to ACP from the Missouri chapter in 2012. He was a regent for ACP from 2012 to 2013.

In addition to his service through ACP, Fleming is a member of the Boone County Medical Society, American Medical Association, Association of Professors of Medicine, Southern Society of Clinical Investigators and Southern Medical Society.

Fleming graduated from medical school, completed residency in internal medicine and ultimately served as chief resident in internal medicine at MU. Following training, he returned to his hometown of Moberly, Mo., where he practiced general internal medicine and geriatrics, and was medical director of Woodland Internists Group, a multispecialty community-based clinic. While in practice, he also served on MU's clinical faculty. Fleming also established and was medical director of the Woodrail Internal Medicine Clinic in Columbia, Mo.

Fleming has received numerous awards for teaching and service, including the Distinguished Service Award from the MU Medical Alumni Organization, the Jane Hickman Teaching Award, the Robert N. McCallum Student Advocacy Award, and Faculty Member of the Year in the Department of Health Management and Informatics at the University of Missouri School of Medicine. Additionally, he was named Prince Charitable Scholar in End of Life Care at Georgetown University in 2000 and Service Excellence Hero in 2009 from MU's University Hospital.

Fleming's publication credits include authoring and co-authoring more than 60 peer reviewed journal publications and book chapters. He is also editor and author of the book "Care of the Dying Patient." He has also been invited to give numerous regional, national and international presentations.

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MU Internal Medicine Chair to Lead Largest Medical Specialty Group in U.S.

ASHEBORO A group of 26 local high school students provided 1,200 hours service and donated a combined 4,828 items of food, books, cards, toiletry and clothing through their community projects in recent months.

They encouraged others to become organ donors, made cards for military heroes and the elderly, collected baby items for young mothers, hosted an alumni baseball game, fed those who had no food, gave a lift to young girls self-esteem, collected sports equipment and craft supplies and raised money for medical expenses.

Members of this group recycled items; collected change; clothed individuals needing clothes and coats; held a singing fest, dinner, bake sale and auction, and helped coordinate 5Ks.

They donated nearly $10,000 to 16 nonprofit agencies.

You learn to give back, said Richard Schoenberger at the recent Student LIFT graduation for these 26 teens at The Exchange in Asheboro. Hes chaired the Student LIFT program for the Asheboro/Randolph Chamber of Commerce for two years.

He recounted the student contributions and said the Class of 2013 put in more hours than any other LIFT class.

The class was the 17th for the chambers Student Leadership Information for Tomorrow program which involves 26 high school sophomores and juniors from local public and private schools and homeschools throughout Randolph County each school year.

Members of the class shared highlights of their experiences at their graduation.

One of the two class speakers, Amy Bolhuis, a sophomore at Eastern Randolph High School, said, Through this program, I learned that there is so much more to Randolph County than what meets the eye. I personally thought not a whole lot went on here and it was pretty boring.

Now I see that people work very hard in collaboration to make this a nice place to live. Now I see that, without these hardworking people, most of the things that go on here wouldnt. I appreciate our county more. Before government day, I didnt even know we had an animal shelter. This program has thoroughly impressed me with what actually goes on, Amy said.

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Student LIFT grads gave 1,200 hours

Barbara Knuth, vice provost and dean of the Graduate School, said when she began her college career as a pre-medical student at the Miami University of Ohio, she had no idea what the future had in store for her.

Growing up in the suburbs of Cleveland, Knuths interest in the outdoors led her to want to study the sciences an interest she said she believed would take her to medical school. Instead, she earned degrees in zoology, philosophy and environmental science and pursued research in natural resources.

When I was in high school applying to college, I believed that I was going to be pre-med, just like everybody else, Knuth said. Then I had some experiences working for the U.S. Forest Service and for the National Parks Service, and so I came to understand the draw of natural resources and natural resource management, so that set me on a different path.

Knuth, who said she likes to hike and canoe in her free time, described Ithaca as a dream come true.

Before becoming vice provost and dean of the Graduate school, Knuth came to Cornell as an assistant professor of natural resources after receiving her Ph.D. in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences from Virginia Polytechnic Institute. She was promoted to associate and full-time professor, and later became the chair of the department and the senior associate dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Since becoming dean in 2010, Knuth has started a number of initiatives to serve graduate students, including the Office of Inclusion and Professional Development, which offers programs that teaches students life skills such as personal financial management, how to cultivate positive relationships with faculty and how to raise awareness about job opportunities, according to Knuth.

Our goal is to support graduate students as whole people, Knuth said. We want to consider all the aspects they need for academic success, personal and social success and have a range of programs and opportunities to help support them in different aspects of their lives.

Knuths said her goal for the University is for every entering doctoral student be provided with a fellowship.

Fellowships allow students to explore their intellectual pursuits the way they want to, Knuth said.

Knuth said she is working with the Universitys alumni affairs and development staff to appeal to donors who may have an interest in helping Cornell realize this goal.

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Dean Knuth Took ‘Different Path’ to Cornell