August Publisher’s Note

July 30, 2025 | by Lawrance Binda

Recently, I had dinner with a friend who’s a college professor.

“So, any plans for the summer?” I asked, making general conversation.

He looked at me like I had two heads.

It was early July and, for my friend, most of the summer was already long gone. His mind was on returning to school, just a month or so away.

“Oh, I guess you’ve already been off awhile,” I said, catching my mistake and quickly changing the topic.

I realized then that the world is split in two—those whose lives are divided by the school year and those who aren’t. I’m definitely in the second camp.

In contrast, my life is broken into monthly segments, the cycle of publishing this magazine. As soon as one issue is finished, the next one revs up.

The story list must be finalized, the planning meeting held, the art arranged. That’s followed by weeks of writing, editing, designing, proofreading, etc., culminating in another completed issue, ready to be printed, distributed and read.

This cycle has now been going on, without interruption, for nearly 17 years. I call it the “monthly miracle.”

Once a year, my schedule and my friend’s schedule converge. Each August, TheBurg has an extended focus on “youth and schools,” as we mark the start of the new academic year. I hope you’ll enjoy our special section, which includes a dive into the Harrisburg School District, now that it’s out of a six-year state receivership.

Otherwise, we have our usual mix of news, community stories, small business features, cultural happenings and events—always all-original and always all-local. Enjoy this last official month of summer, whether that means back to work, back to school or just another day in the life.

Lawrance Binda

Publisher/Editor

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Tested, Invested: The Harrisburg School District exits state-control after turbulent times; focuses on future growth, challenges

July 30, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

Dr. Benjamin Henry, Dr. Lori Suski and Dr. Carrie Rowe, acting secretary of the PA Department of Education, formalize the receivership exit. Photo courtesy of Shawn Oliveira, Harrisburg School District.

Dozens of Harrisburg School District graduates moved tassels from right to left during a ceremony in June.

Photos from the day show student after student holding diplomas, dressed in gowns signifying their exit from high school. Each smiling face represents a 12-year educational journey.

For half of the class of 2025’s dozen years of schooling, behind the scenes, district administrators have been working to clean up what was once a district in turmoil. While these students navigated a daunting move from middle school to high school, officials uncovered missing financial records. While students took tests and turned in homework, administrators found teachers lacking certifications. While students navigated pandemic remote learning, the district did too.

Six classes of teens graduated while the school district was under state control, with the district spending as long attempting to right a ship gone very, very wrong.

So much has changed since June 2019, when the then-spiraling district was ordered by a Dauphin County judge to enter state receivership, and when this year’s graduates had just finished sixth grade. The two fates have always been linked—the district’s and the students’—administrators know that. That’s what office staff say their work has been for, when it comes down to it—the students.

So, when district officials smiled for the cameras at a press conference this past June and shared that Harrisburg would exit receivership six years after entering, the impact ultimately would be on the following generations of students.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) ruled that the district had cleaned things up enough to return to local control, making it the first district in the commonwealth to exit receivership. The power would now shift from the court-appointed receiver, who had the final say on nearly all matters, back to the elected board and district staff.

Officials and stakeholders largely feel hopeful about where Harrisburg is now and where it’s headed, but, of course, recognize that significant challenges still lie ahead. Harrisburg has historically been underfunded and still underperforms academically.

“This is a book that we’ve been writing, and this is just another chapter in this book. I’m so excited about this new chapter,” Superintendent Dr. Benjamin Henry said. “We have a theme for this year: our students are waiting. Our kids are waiting on us, and it’s time for the adults to do right by our kids.”

Fire Alar

Rewind to 2019, just as state receivership began.

The district had already been in financial recovery since 2012 but failed to comply with PDE requirements. Money wasn’t accounted for. The FBI was investigating missing district computers. The first receiver at the time, Dr. Janet Samuels, wasted no time firing most of the district’s top officials, including the superintendent. A new slate of administrators was brought in through a contract with the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit No. 23, which provides support to local districts

Chris Celmer was one of those from MCIU who became the acting superintendent in December 2019.

“Fires would be minute to minute early on, not even day to day,” Celmer said

Early on, Celmer’s time was mainly spent attempting to stop the bleeding of the hemorrhaging district, like making sure payroll was processed, and addressing a thick stack of neglected union grievances—basic operations

Originally, Celmer’s goal was to get the district out of receivership in three years, when it would be due for re-evaluation. But ultimately, complications like superintendent turnover and, of course, the pandemic, made that unfeasible.

“That wasn’t in the gameplan, when we went in in 2019, to have a one-in-a-hundred-year pandemic right in our laps and having to navigate that,” he said.

Because of all the chaos and complication, the district wasn’t even able to complete a recovery plan until 2021. The plan, which outlines specific goals for a school district working to regain financial footing, is typically finalized months after entering state-control, not years.

Dr. Lori Suski remembers those days, as she served as the chief recovery officer, starting in 2021, and would take the position of receiver from 2022 through the end of receivership.

“Usually, the plan should be done in like 90 days, but there were extensions granted because there was so much they uncovered when MCIU got here that they were just putting out fire after fire,” Suski said. “It took longer to get that plan developed because of the fact that they were everyday reacting to the crisis of the day.”

When the first receiver resigned and Suski stepped up to fill her position, significant work had been done, but still so much remained and the recovery plan had only just begun.

“I’m thinking, oh my gosh, what did I sign up for here?” Suski said. “It was overwhelming.”

Second Semester

Shortly after Suski’s appointment, the court would decide to leave the district in receivership for another three years.

“So, at that point, I thought, OK, we’ve got three years now to really make something happen here,” she said.

When Dr. Marcia Stokes joined the school district as chief financial officer in January 2022, just before the second receivership term began, she quickly found herself working 15-hour days, seven days a week.

Almost three years into receivership and still, the business office was in shambles.

“There was a complete lack of systems, a complete lack of structure in the business office,” she said. “My very first week on the job, the audit had to stop for the 2021 school year because the transactions weren’t recorded and there was a lack of independence from the auditor.”

There had been a constant churn of top officials in the office before her. Financial documentation was missing. Tax revenue wasn’t recorded. There was never a cash flow issue, Stokes said, but rather, the budget and other records weren’t trustworthy. Long story short, the math wasn’t mathing.

If that’s where things were at almost three years into receivership, Stokes couldn’t imagine where they stood before the district was even under the state’s microscope.

Along with Stokes, the district hired a superhero team of new top administrators as many of the temporary MCIU team members transitioned out. As Stokes worked on finances, others addressed gaping holes in maintenance needs, attended to HR dysfunction and began planning to address dismal academic stats.

Once the second three-year receivership period neared its end, the state decided that Harrisburg had made enough financial progress to exit, while citing that improvement was still needed academically.

“Ultimately, the goal was to get to where I see Harrisburg today,” Celmer said. “They know where their finances are. They’re in a much more stable place than they were six years ago. And, if you’re like that financially, then you can truly focus on what is the most important piece of the school district and why we’re all there—it’s the kids.”

Right Direction

For all the improvements that have been made over the six years, academics have lagged.

As Celmer explained, for much of the early receivership days, district officials couldn’t fully focus on student outcomes because they were focused on, frankly, keeping the lights on.

Graduation rates at Harrisburg High School-John Harris Campus are still only at about 63%, as of the 2024-25 year, and math and literacy skills district-wide are still lacking. The pandemic didn’t help either, only widening the learning gap and worsening behavioral issues.

“Once I saw the data, it spoke to me,” Superintendent Henry said. “That’s one of the main reasons why I applied and why I’m here.”

Henry, who was hired in the fall of 2024, has plans in the works to bolster Harrisburg’s educational programming. The district has already started a new corrective reading program at the elementary level and is looking to add more post-secondary preparation for high schoolers, along with other initiatives.

According to Suski, the new approach is to “laser focus” on just a few evidence-based educational initiatives, rather than “throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks.”

Enhanced extracurricular activities have also been added, such as the first student musical in years and additional sports teams and clubs.

Longtime district teacher Jody Barksdale has seen supports and training for teachers improve as well, which ultimately makes the learning experience better for students. New curriculum was introduced during receivership, more counseling services for students were initiated, and educators were trained on research-based practices. Henry has also worked to make sure all teachers understand state education standards, especially the many teachers who work using emergency certifications, allowed for districts with staffing issues.

With updated programming, Barksdale has already started to see the changes in her students.

“I think we are definitely moving in the right direction academically,” said Barksdale, a fifth-grade teacher at Melrose Elementary School and the president of the Harrisburg Education Association teachers’ union.

Suski explained that work to improve the culture in the schools has already started paying off, as they’ve worked to make sure students and teachers feel safe and able to learn. Attendance levels even rose by around 2% last year, a small but significant number, she said.

The physical school buildings in the district are undergoing changes as well, both during receivership and ongoing. The long-shuttered Steele Elementary School in Uptown Harrisburg was renovated and reopened, several other buildings are being updated, and some aging school buildings, such as Scott Elementary School, are being phased out and repurposed.

With all the changes and a new sense of stability in the district, officials are feeling hopeful about the future.

“I’m optimistic,” Suski said. “This is a new day for the district.”

Finance Fears

Stokes’ office has come a long way since her first grueling year on the job.

“I would put our practices, from a financial position, up against any other district across the commonwealth, and know that we are doing what is right for our community when it comes to our business office practices and procedures. We even have some that are probably state-of-the-art now compared to other districts,” she said. “It’s like night and day.”

Stokes explained that, while everything within her office’s control is running smoothly, she does have concerns about balancing budgets in the coming years.

In June, the Harrisburg School Board approved a 2025-26 budget of $213.1 million with a 2% property tax hike. It was a tough decision for board members who found themselves weighing differing advice from Stokes and Suski, now serving again as chief recovery officer, who suggested that the tax increase may need to be even higher.

Stokes explained that the district needed to begin raising taxes incrementally over the next several years to keep up with decreasing revenue, inflation and, this year, to counteract the federal COVID funding cliff.

But the district was ultimately left guessing how much of a potential budget hole they would need to plug.

Year after year, the commonwealth has passed its budget late, forcing school districts to adopt their budgets before knowing how much state grant money they will get. Districts like Harrisburg, in lower income communities and historically underfunded, rely on that money. Stokes factored into the district’s budget a conservative guess that the district would get half of the funding that the governor has proposed, about $110 million. That amount alone would make up over half of Harrisburg’s budget.

“If we could rely on that Harrisburg is going to get its fair share of what it deserves, we could plan and really implement some wonderful things for our students,” Stokes said. “But if we can’t rely on something that’s supposed to be in place for July 1, 2025, how can we plan for July of 2026 and 2027 and so forth?”

To grow programming for students, the district needs to know how much money it has to do the job.

And with several revenue source concerns, that money becomes even more crucial.

For one, the city tax base is shrinking, and more and more properties pay less and less. Stokes explained that, for this year alone, their tax revenue plummeted by over 7% as more properties qualify for tax exemptions and large, often office, buildings appeal their tax assessments, claiming that their assessed value is too high in a post-COVID, work-from-home world.

“Even with small, incremental [tax] increases, if we continue to see drops like we did this year in taxable assessed value, we will never be able to keep up. My hope is that this year was a one-time occurrence,” Stokes said. “That definitely would be, in the long-term, a devastating impact to the district.”

Stokes said that her office actually plans to explain the dilemma and solicit donations from tax-exempt properties.

Another challenge: the federal government spending cuts and changes. Recently, the government cut Title II and III funding, which provided over $900,000 to Harrisburg to support training for teachers and support for English language learners.

Add onto that over $30 million in payments to charter schools for the coming year, a number that may steadily continue to rise for the district without state-level reforms.

The financial challenges also impact things like teacher shortages, a nationwide struggle that Harrisburg feels as well. Without the money to fund higher wages, recruitment may suffer, and without sufficient faculty, programs may be cut.

Barksdale said she believes that challenges with recruiting and retaining teachers are some of the most pressing issues currently, as salaries and opportunities for raises lag.

Those who have stuck with the district for years, she said, are there because they find purpose in their career and care about the students.

“It’s been a rollercoaster,” she said. “But it’s the kids—100% the kids have kept me.”

Turned Around

Autumn Anderson ran for the volunteer school board about a year ago, when she realized that no one else was running for an open seat.

“I felt like Harrisburg deserved a full board,” she said.

Like Barksdale, Anderson saw the opportunity as a way to positively impact her community.

However, when she was sworn in, the district was still in receivership and the board’s power extremely limited. But now, the board is once again tasked with governance and has begun to feel the weight of making decisions and ensuring accountability.

One of the top issues that the board is tasked with examining is the district’s historic William Penn High School property, which has sat vacant and deteriorating for years. The district’s conversation on what to do with the property has stretched for years as they’ve pondered selling, demoing, renting out and even rehabbing the massive building, all with mixed opinions from concerned community members. As a decision has yet to be made, that will now fall into the board’s lap.

“William Penn is definitely a big decision that the board is going to have to make,” Anderson said.

The board dynamic of pre-receivership was often divisive, with some board members loyal to the then-superintendent and others critical. Suski viewed that board as a big part of the dysfunction that forced the district into receivership in the first place.

Today’s board dynamic remains to be seen, as most directors have sat together for some time, but have yet to be tried by the fire that comes with power and tough decisions. But Anderson is hopeful. She’s also seen how hard they’ve worked to train and prepare for their post-receivership role.

“The board as a whole has been working really hard,” she said. “We are still working on developing a board dynamic, but I think we share a respect for each other.”

While Harrisburg is out of receivership, the district has headed into a monitoring period where they will continue following the recovery plan and Suski will be making sure they follow state requirements. Most district officials see this milestone as the beginning of a new era for a district that has been through the wringer. Still, the work must continue.

“Every time I hear the story of our history, I’m like, someone’s going to do a movie one day about the Harrisburg School District,” Henry said. “But at the conclusion, I want there to be something written into the movie that, this district had a lot of challenges, but look how they turned it around.”

Each district official shared that their guidepost remains doing what’s best for the students and community that have persevered through the lowest-lows and the growing pains.

“We saw that at graduation […] when we saw the football field filled with the class of 2025, and despite all the turmoil and everything else, these kids made it,” Suski said. “That’s a testament to them, to the staff, to the parents, to the community. Everybody has stuck by the district through all of this. And I’m optimistic.”

For more information on the Harrisburg School District, visit www.hbgsd.us.

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A Car & A Cause: How an accidental “pocket dial” led to a very generous donation to Pink Hands of Hope

July 30, 2025 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

For Robert Goodall, it seemed like more than just a coincidence.

Goodall, of Upper Allen Township, acquired a red, vintage 1968 Ford Mustang convertible by mistake. He unwittingly bought it in an auction by sitting on his phone in his back pocket.

Amazingly, it was the exact same model, in the exact same color, that his late wife Alice said she always wanted.

And if all that weren’t coincidence enough, the car was priced at $50,000, the exact amount remaining from her life insurance policy, Goodall recalled.

That’s where Pink Hands of Hope came into play.

Pink Hands of Hope is a nonprofit that runs a thrift store and other programs supporting women with breast cancer in central Pennsylvania. Its stated mission is “to enhance the lives of those affected by breast cancer by offering free products and services,” according to the organization.

Goodall, owner of Mechanicsburg-based Goodall Pools & Spas, said that he looked at “several causes” before donating his late wife’s clothing to Pink Hands of Hope. Although Alice Goodall never had breast cancer, Robert noted that “cancer has been in my family.”

“I really wanted to find something meaningful,” he said. “I found (Pink Hands of Hope Executive Director Debra Donadee) and brought clothes because she needed them. She had a flood in the basement that ruined some of the thrift store merchandise that was stored there.”

Goodall’s next step? He donated the gorgeous Mustang to Pink Hands, which, in turn, is now conducting a fundraiser raffle of the vehicle.

“This is the biggest endowment we’ve ever received,” Donadee said.

The raffle is coordinated by Platinum Central Pennsylvania, which includes Platinum Pre-Owned Carlisle and Platinum Mitsubishi Mechanicsburg. The joint enterprise also has sponsored Pink Hands through in-store sales events that involve donating a portion of sales to the group.

The Mustang remains on alternate display at both dealerships throughout the raffle. Raffle tickets are available for purchase at the dealerships or Pink Hands’ thrift shop in Hampden Township. The vehicle also is slated for display at next year’s Pennsylvania Farm Show in early January.

“We like to support local causes, and we really like Pink Hands of Hope,” said Cammi McCall, director of operations for Platinum Pre-Owned.

Additionally, the firm has supported Gold Star families, local police, and “several other charities” through fundraiser and sales events, she said.

The car raffle’s winner will be announced on June 6, 2026, at the Carlisle Ford Nationals car show, which is scheduled for June 5 to 7 at the Carlisle Fairgrounds, where the vehicle is set for display. Raffle tickets will be available at the car show before the drawing.

Someone Cares

Pink Hands of Hope was founded in 2009 by Brian and Laurie Gaughen, a couple burdened with medical debt and struggling for assistance after Laurie was diagnosed with breast cancer. As a result, the Gaughens vowed to help others who struggled with the same financial situation, starting a thrift store to fund various assistance programs.

“Our overall mission is to help the lives of women with breast cancer, but really, we help any sort of cancer,” Donadee said. “We’ve also helped men and children.”

Since 2009, Pink Hands has assisted more than 5,000 patients, according to the organization.

“We’re funded through our thrift store, but we also get of lots of fundraisers done for us,” Donadee said. “Schools, companies, and individuals have done fundraisers for us, while some just send us donation checks.”

The organization also accepts thrift shop item donations.

The thrift store offers “a full line of products for individuals navigating through cancer,” which includes free wigs and wig stands, bras, chemo caps, hats, scarves and shawls, port pillows, and hands and feet neuropathy packs. Bathing suits for prosthetics and clothing for patients in treatment also are available.

“Cancer patients often lose or gain weight during treatment, so a lot of the time, they need clothing in different sizes,” Donadee said. “We also have different products for surgery, radiation and chemo.”

However, all this is “only half” of what Pink Hands does, Donadee noted. The organization also pays for qualifying medical bills through its Helping Hands of Hope program. They also provide gas cards for transportation to and from treatments through its “Miles of Hope” program.

Finally, the organization offers a six-month “Pink Angels” program during which volunteers “reach out (to cancer patients) and make sure they know that someone cares,” Donadee stated.

“When women first come to us, they’re sad and they’re crying, but they leave here smiling,” Donadee said. “Our volunteers are survivors who tell them they’re going to be OK.”

Pink Hands of Hope is located at 5325 E. Trindle Rd., Mechanicsburg (Hampden Township). For more information, visit www.pinkhandsofhope.org or call 717-620-8264.

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Uncertain Semester: Local colleges react, adapt to shifting policies, concerns for international students

July 30, 2025 | by M. Diane McCormick

Penn State Harrisburg

For decades, Dickinson College has cherished its ethos as an international campus, where students, faculty and staff learn amid the “complexity of global context.”

“International students bring their experience, their perspectives, their openness to learning and sharing their own cultural backgrounds with us,” said Associate Provost Samantha Brandauer, executive director of Dickinson’s Center for Global Study and Engagement. “The moment a student sets foot on the Dickinson campus, you’re going to be interacting with people around the world.”

As Trump administration policies erect, remove and re-erect barriers to immigration and international enrollment, central Pennsylvania colleges and universities are staying agile.

Harrisburg University isn’t seeing an enrollment slowdown since the State Department lifted a pause on visa interviews, but it’s a fluid situation.

“What I am seeing and hearing and identifying is students questioning whether to come to the U.S. right now,” said Chief Strategy Officer Ryan Riley.

And as Brandauer said, “You’re constantly Plan A, B, C and D-ing everything, so that you have a clear and kind and empathetic communication strategy, and you are getting feedback from the population themselves to understand the needs. It’s a multipronged approach where you’re managing what feels like a crisis.”

Motivated to Learn

At Dickinson, in Carlisle, international students come from all over the world, studying as single-semester exchange students or four-year degree candidates. They are, said Brandauer, “really high-achieving, really integrated across campus life.”

Dickinson’s Center for Global Study and Engagement helps international students stay in compliance with visa and immigration rules. It also advocates campus-wide for international students.

“We have an amazingly supportive and wonderful team of folks across the college who get this with us,” Brandauer said. “It’s easy to advocate for international students at Dickinson. People get it right away.”

International students often share similar challenges and needs with first-generation U.S. students, so Dickinson also considers the “universal design pieces” in academics and student life that help all students thrive, she added.

Dickinson students express a mixed bag of feelings about immigration crackdowns. Many want to simply live their lives as college students and feel like they belong. While they absorb Dickinson’s expressions of support and inclusivity, they worry about “a government that’s not sending the same signal,” Brandauer said.

At Penn State Harrisburg, “our international students are an integral part of the fabric of our campus community, as well as the surrounding communities while they attend and after graduation,” said Chancellor David M. Callejo Pérez. “They—like all of our students—provide valuable and diverse perspectives in our classrooms, our research and our communities.”

Penn State Harrisburg is “not seeing a significant decrease in new international student enrollment” and has not written additional policies to address changes coming from Washington, he said.

Penn State Global’s International Student and Scholar Advising (ISSA) office offers direct support and resources on a range of issues, from understanding legal requirements to getting a PA driver’s license.

In the mid-2010s, HU “carved out a unique space that has kept a strong pipeline of international students from over 100 countries,” said Riley. Its “Curricular Practical Training” program allows F-1 non-immigrant student visa holders to work, without waiting a year, in fields directly related to their academics.

The CPT typically accommodates two types of visa students, Riley said—those who want to see the U.S. and make friendships here, or entrepreneurs eager to take their skills back home.

“[They’re] very focused on their studies,” he said. “They’re appreciative of being here.”

Around the Town

As college administrators note, international students bring economic benefits to their communities.

In Pennsylvania’s 10th congressional district, which covers the Harrisburg area, 1,706 international students contributed $73.3 million to the economy and created 345 jobs in 2023-24, according to NAFSA: Association of International Educators.

Penn State Harrisburg’s international students contributed $44.1 million and supported 191 jobs. At Dickinson, they contributed $17.5 million to the economy and created 86 jobs.

International students’ direct financial contributions to Dickinson’s coffers are “a mixed bag,” Brandauer said. They are “not a monolith,” she noted. Some pay full tuition, while others need and receive financial support “because they contribute meaningful benefits to the community.”

HU’s international graduate students pay full tuition, enabling financial support for the undergraduate population that is more heavily U.S. citizens, school officials said.

International students are key drivers of HU’s growth in local economic impact from $106 million in 2016-17 to $274.5 million today, and they support about 200 of HU’s 600 jobs, Riley said. They are also patrons of Harrisburg International Airport, Amtrak and services around Harrisburg’s SoMa (South of Market) area.

“When you come to downtown Harrisburg when they’re here, there are 1,200 people getting cups of coffee and eating lunch and staying in hotels,” Riley said. “So, as the city itself looks for its next renaissance and opportunity to thrive, when you look at the SoMa area, it’s Harrisburg University that is keeping the economy alive because of these students.”

Bumpy Road

The U.S. remains the top choice globally for higher education, but inconsistent policies create “a tremendous amount of uncertainty and stress,” Riley said.

“The U.S. will lose students, probably this cycle and the next cycle to institutions in Canada, for sure, but also to the UK and Australia, which have maintained their consistency in their programs,” he said.

As uncertainty lingers, HU’s international student and student services offices support international students, and a new staff position connects graduate students to resources on-campus and off, for such needs as tutoring and mental health.

Dickinson’s international and legal teams are preparing their recommendations for this fall’s student cohort. As events unfold quickly under the Trump administration, they have devised a strategy to keep students informed in a timely fashion and confident of the facts.

“This is a moving target,” Brandauer said. “A lot of our messaging to students right now is helping them feel that we see this, we see you, and we are doing all kinds of things to support you.”

To help ease worries about barriers to re-entry, Dickinson offered free campus housing to students impacted by the travel ban this summer, and about 30 accepted. During the brief visa suspension, another handful of students accepted a similar offer.

The travel ban hasn’t significantly impacted Dickinson’s fall enrollment, Brandauer said. However, as other universities are starting students on their international campuses or partner institutions outside the U.S., Dickinson is having similar “what if” conversations.

Some Penn State Harrisburg students have proceeded normally through visa processing and interviews while others “have encountered some issues,” said Pérez. “We continue to support our students as they make their way through these processes and prepare to join us in the fall.”

In light of questions from the Penn State community about Trump’s executive orders, Penn State Global in April recommended that international students and scholars keep their visa statuses current and always carry copies of their documentation.

Reaping Benefits

Although disruption sows mistrust and insecurity that can cause potential international students to reconsider, most of HU’s graduate students “feel confident they’re doing the right thing,” Riley said.

“They’re making the right choices. They’re following the law,” he said. “They’re here for their experience.”

He compares international students to “seeds from around the world that are planted on American soil.”

“When they’re nurtured with opportunity at institutions of higher education, they grow into bridges, and those bridges connect the U.S. to global ideas and markets and innovation,” he said. “So if we neglect them, we’re fencing off the garden, and not only do we lose a vibrant variety, but we miss out on the fruit they bear for everyone.”

Dickinson continues to monitor Trump administration policies and, in the world’s “perma-crisis,” also works to ease the anxiety and stress borne by staff concerned about their students, Brandauer said.

“It’s just disheartening because international students and scholars bring so much to our communities, to our campuses, to higher education,” she said. “I find it disheartening that we aren’t creating an environment that is welcoming of them. Dickinson is, but we’re fighting a fight. I feel lucky to do this work in a place where there’s so much support for it. It’s part of Dickinson’s values and identity.”

As Riley puts it, HU continues “just solidifying the message to our prospective students that the United States is open, and we’re here to help you get through any questions or challenges you have.”

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Be My Neighbor: Program sets up students for success beyond high school

July 30, 2025 | by Colin McGuire

Chad Frey. Photo by Dani Fresh.

To Chad Frey, being a neighbor means so much more than living next to someone.

That’s because, to Frey, being a neighbor is a responsibility. Being a neighbor is a calling. Being a neighbor is an expression of love.

“I like to frame neighboring as a verb and look at it on an interpersonal level,” Frey explained. “I like to wonder: What does it mean for institutions to be part of a neighborhood?”

Frey has been tackling that question through his role as president and CEO of the Neighboring Academy, an in-school program at Steelton-Highspire High School that aims to break cycles of poverty by creating pathways to homeownership for students.

The idea for the academy was borne out of a response to the local housing crisis. As community members met to discuss the issue, Frey started to observe how the concern for affordable housing was “bubbling up” among local educational leaders, as well as community stakeholders.

Fast-forward to 2022, when the first Neighboring Academy pilot program was launched as a six-week summer program. The camp began with 10 rising ninth graders at Steelton-Highspire, and its focus was to help equip students with the abilities to become responsible citizens by expanding access to capital and preparing those students to make future homes in their communities.

In addition to educating students on financial literacy, the program helps them set up checking and savings accounts, teaches them how to save for a future home, and connects them with local leaders and businesses as a means to establish a network of professionals upon graduating high school, among other goals.

“Part of interrupting cycles of poverty is introducing ways to break those intergenerational cycles,” Frey said. “Home ownership is one of those very strategic things that has potential to be wealth-creating, and there are real challenges facing folks of color to attain home ownership. We want those students to build social capital, and we called that ‘neighboring.’ We want them to understand that they have a lot of neighbors that can help them succeed.”

Josh Aponte. Photo by Dani Fresh.

Changing Lives

One of the students that has grown up in the Neighboring Academy is Josh Aponte, who was made aware of the program by attending a school assembly in eighth grade. He heard what the academy offered and thought it would be a good way to make money through work experience with a partnering business. Once his mother signed off on it, Aponte enrolled.

What he found out, however, was that the program offered so much more than a vehicle to earn a few extra bucks as a teenager.

“It’s opened up so many opportunities,” Aponte, who is going into his senior year of high school, reflected. “I have such a wide network of neighbors that I can do whatever I want in life now. It’s given me exposure to so many different companies and businesses.”

That exposure has come in the form of getting a head start on acquiring professional skills. Earlier this summer, Aponte was part of a class that worked to become OSHA certified. During his junior year, a typical day would mean taking four core courses at Steelton-Highspire, eating lunch, and then volunteering at a UPMC hospital.

Aponte’s story is one of many that Frey is proud of, and it comes at a special time for the academy. For the first time, the program this summer featured students who have been with the initiative for their entire four years of high school. It’s a testament to both the commitment of the people who helped launch the program and the students who stuck with the vision offered to them.

“This program has helped change the lives of students,” Frey proudly relayed. “There were a number of students at the beginning who came in and were at risk. We weren’t sure if they were going to be able to continue in a public school setting, but they’ve come a long, long way.”

Now, these students consistently receive awards and scholarships, he said.

“The story of the Neighboring Academy truly is neighbors coming together to build something out of nothing,” Frey added. “In terms of what makes this go, what’s really at the heart of everything, is that love we have for our neighbors.”

For more information about the Neighboring Academy, visit www.neighboringacademy.org.

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Sweet Start: Wake & Bake Café serves up homemade treats, breakfast to downtown Harrisburg patrons

July 30, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

TJ Greenhowe & Elle Daniels

Baking came at just the right time for Elle Daniels.

She took up the hobby while walking through a period of stress and anxiety, and baking became the perfect outlet, the Harrisburg resident said.

For a while, she baked for fun, making treats for friends and family. It wasn’t until her partner TJ Greenhowe encouraged her to start a business that she even considered it.

After her daughter was born, Daniels started vending and doing pop ups at events and quickly began receiving praise from satisfied customers.

“There was so much positive feedback and people asking, ‘When is your bakery opening?” she said.

Daniels and Greenhowe decided to take the plunge and open their own storefront. They looked at a few places downtown, as that’s where they often went to grab coffee and wander around, before settling on a newly vacant spot on N. 3rd Street. They decided on the name, Wake & Bake Café, planning to provide both quality coffee drinks and baked goods, along with breakfast items.

In July, the couple cut the ribbon on their storefront, surrounded by friends and community members. It didn’t take long for a line of patrons to fill the shop.

“It feels unreal,” Daniels said on the opening day.

Wake & Bake serves up a variety of treats, from cookies to cakes to breads.

Anything chocolate peanut butter is a crowd pleaser, Daniels said, and her favorites to make are carrot cake and unique flavors like lavender lemon.

She also takes custom cake orders and even holds monthly cake giveaways to families that can’t afford special occasion cakes.

Affordability is another important value of the business. As someone with a family of her own, Daniels knows how expensive it can be to go out to eat and wants to make sure customers can still get quality flavors at reasonable prices.

The shop itself looks different than what customers might remember of the former business at that location, Deco Grab & Go.

Greenhowe, who has his own contracting business, Greenhowe’s Aesthetics, did all the interior renovations himself. That includes a newly white tiled counter, new tables for customer seating and a window bar that provides extra space to sit and snack.

“Our main goal was to make it vibrant,” he said. “It’s like, wow, we really managed to pull it off.”

The journey toward opening hasn’t been easy, as Greenhowe balanced his full-time job with renovating the café and as Daniels found out she was pregnant again, just after deciding to open the storefront. But now that they’re open, the couple is excited to offer the Harrisburg community a new place to hang out, satisfy a sweet tooth and meet with friends.

They also have plenty of help in the form of a significantly sized team for a new business. Four additional staffers will work at Wake & Bake, helping with cooking breakfast, making hot drinks and serving patrons.

During the July ribbon cutting, Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams gave her congratulations to the new shop and noted how important small businesses are to the city.

“Thank you for choosing the city of Harrisburg,” she said to the owners. “Thank you for seeing what we see—a city full of promise, full of pride and full of people who will support you every step of the way.”

Wake & Bake Café is located at 240 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit them on Facebook and Instagram @wakeandbakecafehbg.

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Vintage Views: Gruver Farms Winery offers a taste of the Finger Lakes in New Cumberland

July 30, 2025 | by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

Gruver Farms Winery & Tasting Room

If you ever purchased a Christmas tree in our region, you may already be familiar with the name “Gruver.”

The family operates a longstanding tree farm in New Cumberland where customers can cut their own trees or choose from a variety of pre-cut options.

Their latest venture is the Gruver Farms Winery & Tasting Room, which is owned and operated by Jaden Gruver, who celebrated the grand opening in April.

“It’s been the culmination of five years of hard work and dedication to get the tasting room constructed and up and running,” Gruver said.

Year-Round

The story begins in the 1970s when Jaden’s father, Bob, purchased 32 acres of land on Stetler Road, launching a landscaping business and Christmas tree farm.

About a decade ago, Jaden decided to join the business to help expand operations. Since then, they’ve added pumpkins, a three-acre vineyard and the newly opened tasting room. The tasting room is located on the Christmas tree farm and is relatively large by some standards, at 3,200 square feet.

“We wanted to create a space big enough for residents to gather,” Gruver said.

His vision: to offer reasons to visit the farm all year-round. During warmer months, customers can take a seat on an outdoor patio and behold a beautiful view overlooking the countryside.

When it came to getting the word out and operating the winery, Gruver’s bachelor’s degree in tourism and hospitality management from Temple University came in handy, as did his hands-on experience.

“I worked at a couple wineries in various positions, from being out in the vineyard to making wine to help running tasting rooms,” he said.

Crisp, Refreshing

According to Gruver, the most challenging aspect of winemaking in central Pennsylvania is the unpredictable weather.

“One season can be perfect and the next can bring unexpected rain, humidity or late frosts, which really impacts the grapes,” he said. “So, it keeps us on our toes.”

In good years, Pennsylvania’s cooler climate and rolling hills create ideal conditions for crisp, refreshing whites and balanced, fruit-forward reds.

“The soil here is a mix of limestone and clay, which not only gives the grapes good draining, but also adds some complexity,” Gruver said.

Unlike many Pennsylvania wineries that focus on sweeter wines, Gruver Farms sets itself apart with dry styles. The wine is produced in partnership with Weathered Vineyards in New Tripoli using Gruver’s Marquette, Frontenac gris and Cayuga grapes.

“These wines really shine,” Gruver said. “The growing conditions are challenging, but they help bring out the character of each variety.”

Gruver’s personal favorite is the Frontenac gris.

“It’s crisp and refreshing with bright citrus notes and easily paired with light summer dishes like grilled shrimp, fresh salads or even a simple goat cheese appetizer,” Gruver said.

For non-wine drinkers, Gruver also offers beer, canned cocktails, coffee and non-alcoholic drinks.

Breathtaking

Harrisburg resident Kate Lewinson, who attended the grand opening and its lavender festival in late June, was impressed.

“I had a wonderful tasting lavender slushie,” she said, recalling the event that featured local vendors, live music and a relaxed atmosphere.

What struck her most, though, was the view.

“It’s incredible, and the sunsets are breathtaking,” she said.

“When people visit, they often say that it feels like a little slice of the Finger Lakes, right here in New Cumberland,” added Gruver.

The winery features live music on Friday evenings, yoga and barre classes in the vineyard, as well as private events.

“I’ve always loved how wine brings people together—whether it’s for celebrating big milestones or just enjoying a relaxing afternoon,” Gruver said. “We wanted to create a space where people could slow down, enjoy good wine, and connect with family, friends and community.”

Gruver Farms Winery and Tasting Room is located at 255 Stetler Rd., New Cumberland. For more information, visit www.gruverfarms.com or follow them on Instagram and Facebook.

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Behind the Plate: Chef’s travels flavor new Hotel Hershey restaurant experiences

July 30, 2025 | by Deborah Lynch

1933 Restaurant & Tavern. Photo courtesy of Hotel Hershey

Does anyone ever rave about the food in college dining halls?

Odd as it sounds, Hotel Hershey Executive Chef Bart Umidi does. He made the leap into the culinary field because of his campus job helping to create what he called “progressive and creative” fare at the University of Maryland.

Helping to run a dinner theater in one dining hall, he then helped start up a steakhouse in the student union building, which was the turning point that led him to stay on as catering staff after graduation and then to culinary school at the renowned Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.

Since then, food has continually opened the door to exotic experiences. He worked in celebrated resorts such as the Greenbriar in West Virginia and the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo., as well as in such touristy places as Bermuda, Hawaii and Hilton Head, S.C.

After nine years as executive chef at Hershey Lodge, Umidi moved to the Hotel Hershey in 2021 to oversee the culinary operation for three full-service restaurants, an all-day café, lounge, room service, banquet and event space, spa restaurant and seasonal poolside café for the AAA Four Diamond property. The restaurants include The Circular, Trevi 5 and the newly rebranded 1933, which had previously operated as Harvest.

He’s lived in lovely resort areas around the world but has now been in Hershey for his 13th summer.

“We measure things in summers around here,” he quipped.

So, what’s the special sauce in Hershey?

He was attracted initially to take on the executive chef responsibilities after he “met the team, met the chefs, their energy, their passion, what I saw as potential with the size and complexity of the Lodge.”

“I got real excited,” he said. “There’s nothing we can’t do in this environment.”

Getting to rebrand restaurants—Fire & Grain and Revelry Chophouse at the Lodge, and now 1933 at the Hotel—along with menu development, restaurant design, kitchen design and layout keeps the job interesting.

“With our mission for our company with Milton Hershey School and how our leadership drives that and communicates it and gives us opportunities to engage, it’s something you can’t find in a freestanding restaurant,” Umidi noted. “I’ve always enjoyed being in resort hotels.”

It doesn’t hurt that he spent his younger years in Hanover and Spring Grove before graduating from high school at Chesapeake High in Paradise, Md.

Umidi loves collaborating on new dishes and menus with the three executive chefs of the hotel restaurants—Dakota Bowers at 1933, Vincent Delagrange at the Circular and William McDonough at Trevi 5—where the team looks for seasonal triggers that inspire and support a sense of time and place for each restaurant’s identity.

Umidi’s past locales and his staff help to inform his menu.

“My experiences and my guys—they’re inspired and they’re creative,” he said. “That’s one of the things I love the most—the collaboration with them.”

In Hawaii, he was exposed to Pacific and Asian cuisines, traveling to places like Thailand and Japan. He used king salmon in Hawaii and continues that today because it is fattier and more delicious than Atlantic salmon, he said.

Umidi serves mussels with an Asian spin and created a seafood tower for 1933. The Circular menu has some Korean flavors, including a pork tenderloin with gochujang, kimchi and rice, and a miso-glazed black cod in a country ham dashi with a fresh salad and forbidden rice.

“The Circular is a place where we can push boundaries a little and explore,” he said. “I like to be able to surprise them with that creativity.”

Also at the Hotel, the Iberian Lounge is a favorite for hotel guests and locals. New items also recently dropped there, including flatbreads, hummus, prosciutto and burrata plate, and other tapas-oriented items that reflect the Iberian peninsula.

Chef’s Bites: The newly branded 1933 expands the Harvest menu with a steak and chop profile, continuing relationships with vendors (like Bowcreek Farm) and the community. It now has more of a British tavern vibe with pub dishes that resonate with throwbacks like a steak and ale pie and a meatloaf that “is not your grandma’s meatloaf.”

Favorite Dish: Among Umidi’s favorites is an interpretation of a cassoulet at The Circular that uses lamb loin as the foundation along with lamb consommé, legumes and duck bacon. “It was fun to evolve that dish. It didn’t start as that but worked through an evolution to become spring cassoulet.” At Trevi 5, he recommends the pizza that features a thin crust and the house-made filled pasta. At 1933, favorites include oysters, an aged Kansas City strip steak (aged for 32 days), and the aged pork chop.

Pro Tips: Summer is prime time at the Hotel Hershey, but savvy locals can get seated by dining earlier. Sunday brunch at 1933 is a good bet.

If You Go: Reservations are available during the summer at all three restaurants except for the Trevi 5 patio.

The Hotel Hershey is located at 100 Hotel Rd., Hershey. For more information on Chef Bart Umidi and the restaurants, visit www.thehotelhershey.com/dining.

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Counting Coins for College: It’s never too early to start prepping for your child’s higher-education journey. Local financial planners offer advice

July 30, 2025 | by Gina Napoli

Twenty years ago, sitting at my computer, my arms resting on my pregnant belly, I opened a PA529 college savings account for my baby girl.

I followed conventional advice: Start investing now to take advantage of compounding interest. Invest in diversified high-yield accounts. Pay myself first. Invest consistently. Automate contributions from payroll. I opened a Upromise credit card for cashback rewards.

All great advice… except why did every parent in my circle run out of money before their baby girls and baby boys finished college? How did our collective estimates fall so short of actuals?

At the risk of aging myself, my parents funded my college using an add-to-anytime CD. Yearly tuition cost less than today’s vacation. Some in my circle funded college out-of-pocket. Paradigms have shifted—hard.

“Many people underestimate long-term inflation and the true cost of room, board, travel and inflation-adjusted tuition,” said Harrisburg-based financial advisor Ray Stark, of Thrivent Choice Financial Group.

Conner Brady, financial planner and owner of Brady Planning, numerically explained how today’s parents get caught unaware. College costs rose 2 to 8% every year, far outpacing wage growth over a 40-year period ending in 2023.

“A low-yield savings account, savings bonds and a part-time job doesn’t cut it anymore,” Brady said.

Invest Is Best

529 plans are a great go-to plan for tax-deferred growth and tax-free withdrawals. You can invite third-party investors, and you can invest in 529 plans for other states, which may have different rules. They typically offer age-based portfolios that automatically adjust risk. As college nears, the portfolio shifts to safer investments to reduce risk and preserve capital. Stark advised that 529 plans do count as an asset, and may reduce your student’s financial aid award. Likewise, custodial accounts count as student assets.

You can also use cash value life insurance or other investment accounts not tied to your student as part of your overall wealth portfolio. For example, you can withdraw contributions against a Roth IRA without taxes and penalties prior to the minimum age when withdrawals are used for qualified higher education expenses. These funds won’t affect your student’s financial aid award.

Real estate is another great long-term investment. Pro tip for those seasoned in real estate investing: Purchase real estate near your student’s college. Your student now has housing, and you can charge their roommates rent.

FAFSA-lutely!

The federal government may give your student financial aid, but they first want to know how much you have. According to Brady, Uncle Sam expects parents to help students financially, whether they plan to or not. For every $100 of parent-owned assets, the government assumes $5.64 goes towards college.

“Don’t assume you make too much money or have too many assets to receive financial assistance,” Stark said.

Enter the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. Many high schools and local credit unions offer tutorials for completing it. You can also find handbooks and video tutorials offering strategies for shifting your money around.

“Savings used too early may actually count against students receiving more financial aid during the second half of their education,” Stark said.

Fill out the FAFSA form every year, and don’t miss the application deadline.

Loan Lessons

“We see lots of grads entering the workforce who didn’t understand the long-term impact of the college debt they were signing up for,” Brady said.

Loans represent a great learning opportunity.

“Educating kids about debt early can help prevent costly mistakes later in life,” Stark said. “Discuss interest rates, repayment options and co-signing risks.”

Brady recommends federal loans (preferably subsidized) over private loans. Federal loans offer more flexibility and don’t grow interest until after graduation.

Realistic loan amount? “A loan shouldn’t be more than one-third of the student’s first year of expected income,” Brady said. “More than that is unrealistic, and may not be worth the return on investment.”

Can I Get a Tip?

Here are some bonus ways to save cash and pay for college.

High schoolers may qualify for college credits through Advanced Placement classes. Many schools also partner with community colleges to offer college courses to high schoolers, who can earn early college credits.
Save on room and board by attending community college. The first two years of college consist of general education courses that should transfer to almost any four-year college.
Encourage your high schooler to frequently check with their guidance counselor for grants and scholarship opportunities. If you have a niche talent or sports acumen, enlist a guidance counselor’s help finding a recruiting college.
Private schools are not always more expensive than state schools. Many offer need-based and merit-based aid.
Consider joining the military—active duty or reserves. Service members receive college tuition and housing expenses at accredited institutions.
Check into your current (or potential) workplace’s benefits. Full- and part-time employees may qualify for tuition assistance. University employees and their families often receive reduced or free tuition.
The ultimate cost avoidance—consider a lucrative trade instead. My stepson didn’t need full college for his field. He attended vo-tech and took some college classes.
Not every degree is worth taking on significant debt. Consider an associate’s degree or certificate program instead of a four-year investment.

Whether you connect with a financial adviser or DIY with an internet calculator, here’s a disclaimer via both Stark and Brady: No financial advice provides guarantees. Consider investment objectives, risks, charges, tax implications and expenses associated before investing.

Connect with Ray Stark at https://connect.thrivent.com/ray-stark.

Find out more about Brady Planning at www.bradyplanning.com.

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Hall Manor Hues: Sprocket Mural Works brought big, bold colors this summer to Hall Manor, a housing community in Allison Hill

July 30, 2025 | by TheBurg Editor

In late June, the Harrisburg-based arts nonprofit oversaw the creation of several large-scale murals, a sidewalk mural and a mural on a basketball court, as well as a mural on the exterior of the Boys & Girls Club.

Before the project, over 1,000 residents were surveyed and concepts were presented. Then both local and nationally known artists were commissioned to do the painting, which stretched out over several weeks.

Here, we share a sample of the Hall Manor art project. For more information on Sprocket Mural Works, and to donate, visit www.sprocketmuralworks.org.

Photos by Landon Wise.

Mural by Rough Edge Collective

Sharnee Burnett

Mural by Osiris Rain

Maya Angelou mural by Sharnee Burnett

Mural by Miles Toland

Mural by Sarah Eberly

Mural by Dionn Reneé

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