Get Involved!

A Look Back at the first 3 years of Get Involved!

2011-10-04T13:25:00.000-07:00

This blog contains highlights from the first 3 years of Get Involved! (spring 2008-spring 2011). We hope that you enjoy reading about events, programs, and speeches that took place throughout Western PA and around the United States.

Millersville University CCERP Carnegie Classification Celebratory Event

2011-04-20T12:15:00.000-07:00

My alma mater, Millersville University, invited me back to campus on Wednesday, March 23 to keynote a special celebratory event. Millersville received the Carnegie Classification in Civic Engagement for all of the terrific service work taking place on campus. I enjoyed sharing with the crowd of 100+ that were there to celebrate this important achievement for Millersville.

Music Matters Power Hour

2011-04-20T12:08:00.000-07:00

Regina and I invterviewed a terrific panel at the March 2011 Music Matters Power Hour on Tuesday, March 22. Featured panelists included: Emmai Alaquiva, Steven Mark Soboslai, Josh Bakaitus, DJ Jay Malls, Justin Strong, Art Baron, and David Landes. All of these panelists have done really creative work within the music industry and do a good job keeping us entertained here in Western PA. Dancing Classrooms was our Charity of the Month and Mark Rogalsky and Patrick Flynn spoke about the program.

Duquesne University - St Martin's Hall

2011-04-20T11:57:00.000-07:00

Duquesne University Resident Assistant Robin Rectenwald put together a nice program with residents in her hall on Tuesday evening, March 15. I enjoyed speaking with St. Martin's Hall students about service and making an impact on campus.

Get Involved! Pittsburgh Job Corps Center Student Leadership Award

2011-04-20T11:54:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, March 10 I had the pleasure of presenting Pittsburgh Job Corps student Shante' McDonald with the Get Involved! Student Leadership Award at the graduation ceremony on campus. Erin and I were happy to donate $200 to this newly formed annual Get Involved! scholarship at the Job Corps Center. Shante' is an active student leader and also a basketball player on the CCAC team.

Art Institute of Pittsburgh

2011-04-20T11:38:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed keynoting a late afternoon program about networking and career development at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh on March 9, 2011. Amelia Rising and Tyler Kozar are doing a good deal of terrific work on their campus and it was great speaking with about 60 of their classmates at this event.

PERC Rotary raises $2,000 Bowl for Kids Sake

2011-04-20T11:33:00.000-07:00

Our Pittsburgh East Rotary Club team raised $2,056 for Big Brothers Big Sisters Bowl for Kids Sake this year and participated at BFKS on Sunday, March 6. Out of dozens of teams that participated in BFKS our club finished an impressive 10th overall for fundraising. I am really honored to serve as President of such a terrific club and am thankful to my fellow Rotarians for their support of BBBS!

KEYS Service Corps Involvement Fair

2011-03-07T13:20:00.000-08:00

KEYS Service Corps Member Development Specialist Steve Hussar put together a great program for 65 current Americorps members during the afternoon of March 4. I was the opening speaker and did my best to get everyone motivated to interact with all of the booths at this Involvement Fair. There were some excellent local non-profits in attendance and the Americorps members were aggressive about getting more involved in the community during the event.

Pittsburgh Society of Association Executives

2011-03-07T13:13:00.000-08:00

On Friday, March 4 I was the opening keynote speaker for the Pittsburgh Society of Association Executives. PSAE President-Elect Dr. Sandra DeVincent Wolf did a great job putting the program together and I really enjoyed sharing with this terrific group during this 75 minute presentation at the Pittsburgh Marriot in Cranberry.

Hip Hop on Lock Radio interview

2011-03-07T13:07:00.000-08:00

I had a great time on the Hip Hop on Lock "Lock Down" radio show on Tuesday, March 1. We had a lot of fun in the studio talking about Get Involved! programs and ways to make a difference in the community. The student co-hosts Michael Curry, Zyare Martin, and Tauttiona Green all did a great job with their interviews on the show. The show also featured my colleague Orlana Darkins of The Shyne Awards and her husband Darnell. You can check out the recording of the show at: http://www.lockdownradio.com/ldr/Podcast/Entries/2011/3/2_L.O.C.K.down_Radio_Show_5_03.01.11.html

Morning Mix series debuts with Dr. Joseph Rishel

2011-03-07T13:01:00.000-08:00

My Pittsburgh Morning Mix co-host Vivian Lee Croft and I kicked off the series on Friday, February 25 at Panera Bread on Blvd of the Allies. Dr. Joseph Rishel, a popular and extremely accomplished professor and author from Duquesne University was our inaugural speaker for the Morning Mix. We look forward to the next Morning Mix on March 23 which will feature Chaz Kellem of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Get connected! themed Power Hour

2011-03-07T12:54:00.000-08:00

We hosted our seventeenth Power Hour on Wednesday, February 23. My co-host Regina Anderson organized a terrific panel of leaders in the community from diverse professional backgrounds. Panelists included: Justin Hopper, Bethany Davidson, Kate Showalter, and Jared Sadowsky. The focus of the evening was all about making connections and working together.

Give Our Passion book signing

2011-03-07T12:46:00.000-08:00

I had a great time signing copies of Give Our Passion in Harrisburg on February 11-12. It's always great to see friends like Matt and Becky Dowling (in photo) from Fayette County who have been incredibly supportive of Get Involved! and Give Our Passion so far.

2nd Annual Fasions for Kids Sake

2011-03-07T12:42:00.000-08:00

The terrific students at Carlow University did a great job putting together the 2nd Annual Fashions for Kids Sake. KDKA's Jim Lokay and I were back together for a second year as Co-Emcees of the event and had a fun time introducing the models onto the stage. The event raised close to $3,000 for BBBS. Congrats to Chrissy McLachlan, Emily Kolek, Chris Meaner and everyone involved in the event.

Norwin Rotary Club

2011-02-02T16:08:00.000-08:00

On Monday, January 31 I had the pleasure of speaking with the Norwin Rotary Club in Westmoreland County at Pluma's. Many thanks to my Monroeville Chamber friend Brenda Kacvinsky for the invitation to speak with her club over lunch.

"A Golden Life" Self Esteem Fair

2011-02-02T16:01:00.000-08:00

Even though I was just about the only man in attendance, I still had a great time speaking with dozens of the female Job Corps students at the "A Golden Life" Self Esteem Fair on Friday, January 28. I did some goal setting for 2011 with the students and got them thinking about the important role that service and helping others has in our self-value and how we view ourselves. The students set some terrific goals! Congrats to Rosalind McLendon on a great event.

2nd Annual Service Summit a big success

2011-02-02T15:49:00.000-08:00

A crowd of 300+ attended the 2nd Annual Get Involved! Pittsburgh Service Summit on Wednesday, January 26, 2011. The event featured excellent speakers including Andrew Stockey (in photo), Bill Flanagan, Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak, Chaz Kellem, Matt Tomsho, Tom Basile, Dr. Audrey Murrell and our Honorary Summit Chair President Mary Hines. We also honored a number of terrific leaders including Man of the Year Senator John Pippy and Woman of the Year Kate Dewey (in photo). Awards were presented by former Allegheny County Chief Executive Jim Roddey. The 21 Western PA Rising Stars and graduating Fast Track class were also recognized at the Summit. Thanks to our host, Carlow University, our planning team (Bekah Stern, Chris Meaner, Casey Mahaven, and Lisa Kahle), and all of the attendees, speakers, and vendors in making the 2nd Annual Service Summit a success.

Final Fast Track Session

2011-02-02T15:41:00.000-08:00

Our 7th and final Fast Track session with our first co-hort was held on Tuesday, January 25. Our guest speakers were Tom Basile (from new York City), Vivian Lee Croft, and David Landes. Basile talked about his experiences traveling to other countries to serve the President and Vivian discussed the history of the Secret Agent L initiative. It was a great session and wrapped up a terrific three months together. Holly and I are both so proud of this dynamic group of thirteen young and young thinking community leaders.

Proclamation for 2nd Annual Service Summit

2011-02-02T15:32:00.000-08:00

Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak and her colleagues on City Council approved a proclamation on January 25 that declared the following day as "Get Involved! Service Summit Day" within Pittsburgh. Natalia delivered a fantastic speech at the summit as well. I am thankful for her support and the enthusiasm that council (especially Councilman Bill Peduto) have displayed about the Summit.

Strong Women Strong Girls

2011-02-02T15:18:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of speaking with 60 Strong Women Strong Girls volunteers on Saturday, January 22. The full day retreat for the volunteers was held at my alma mater, Minadeo Elementary School. I enjoyed speaking with both groups in my old elementary school library. It definitely was a great group of passionate college students who are enthusiastic about mentoring. SWSG Program Manager Mila Yochum did an excellent job putting the event together.

Re-elected as PERC President

2011-02-02T15:15:00.000-08:00

I was honored to be re-elected as President of the Pittsburgh East Rotary Club on Thursday, January 20. It has been a great experience being involved in Rotary for the last four years and I am very proud of the way that PERC is growing. We are also involved in such terrific service projects and are truly making a positive difference in the region!

Let's Talk About Bikes Power Hour

2011-02-02T15:07:00.000-08:00

Our 16th Power Hour took place on Wednesday, January 19. We are now officially at our new location, Shadow Lounge in East Liberty, for the monthly Power Hour series. This month, Regina Anderson and I interviewed some terrific leaders in Western PA who focus on biking and transportation issues. Holly McIntosh assembled a great panel that shared some important information with the crowd. We also supported AHEAD, our third Power Hour Charity Partner. We raised some funds and got the word out about AHEAD, which is managed by Executive Director Lu Randall.

Corbett/Cawley Inauguration

2011-02-02T14:58:00.000-08:00

Two people, who I have had the pleasure to get to know in recent years and stump on behalf of as a surrogate in 2010, became Pennsylania's Governor and Lieutenant Governor on January 17, 2011. The ceremonies and events throughout the day were tremendous and I am very proud of both Governor Tom Corbett and Lt. Governor Jim Cawley. They will represent and lead our commonwealth effectively!

Monroe Community College Winter Retreat

2011-02-02T14:52:00.000-08:00

I traveled to Rochester, New York to spend Monday, January 10, 2011 with 65 student leaders at Monroe Community College. The students were terrific and am I very thankful that my SAHE '05 colleague Trung Nguyen and Jodi Oriel invited me to spend the full day working with their campus leaders.

Night Talk on PCNC with Ellis Cannon

2011-02-02T14:46:00.000-08:00

I had a great time making my third appearance on WPXI's Night Talk on PCNC on Monday, January 3, 2011. The host of the show, Ellis Cannon, and I had a very nice conversation about politics, civc engagement, and the 2011 Service Summit.

Dr. Tom Baker, was educator and author

2011-01-04T11:53:00.001-08:00

Dr. Tom Baker, was educator and author
Dr. Thomas Baker, 39, an author and teacher at Pioneer Education Center in Brookline, died of cancer Tuesday in Montefiore Hospital. His achievements as an educator brought him local and national recognition. Dr. Baker, of Greenfield, began his career with the Pittsburgh School District in 1977 at Miller Elementary School. In 1982, he moved to Project Liaison at Brashear High School, where he was an employment counselor for handicapped students. He transferred to Pioneer in 1985 and taught profoundly handicapped students. Dr. Baker held a doctorate in counselor education from the University of Pittsburgh and bachelor's and masters degrees from Duquesne University. He was certified in special education, elementary counseling, and secondary English.
He was a prolific writer whose articles were published in national trade and scholarly journals as well as the local media, and he was a major contributor to school district publications. In 1986, High Noon Books published as part of its "High School Highways" series a number of paperbacks written by Dr. Baker for urban secondary students with below average reading ability. His writings include a series of vignettes on the 160 schools that have vanished from the Pittsburgh school district since 1835.
Dr. Baker was recognized in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan as one of 32 people who had developed outstanding partnerships in education. He was selected by the state Education department for a two-week seminar in Japan, where he taught English as a second language to students from many countries at the Inlingua School of Languages.
He was the Allegheny County Conservation District's Outstanding Teach of the Year in 1981 for his contributions to environmental education, a 1981 state delegate to the White House Conference on Aging, and a 1986 recipient of an Award of Honor from the National School Public Relations Association.
Dr. Baker is survived by his wife Patricia A., and a son Thomas J., known as "Chugger", at home, and his mother, Mary E, also of Greenfield.
(Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 1991, Pittsburgh Press 1991)

Fast Track Community Leaders Session #6

2010-12-22T11:05:00.000-08:00

Chaz Kellem, Manager of Diversity Initiatives hosted our Fast Track Service and Leadership Program on December 15, 2010 at PNC Park. This session was our sixth program so far and was a great way to wrap up 2010. We have a dynamic group of 13 young professionals and civic leaders who are participating in our inaugural Fast Track class. The other speakers on December 15 were JJ Richardson and Erin Baker. Chaz was an excellent host and speaker. We also will be going back as a class to a game this summer at PNC Park.

The Year in PERC 2010

2010-12-22T11:02:00.000-08:00

I have really enjoyed my first six months as President of the Pittsburgh East Rotary Club. We celebrated all of the tremendous accomplishments of our club at our "The Year in PERC" get together on December 6, 2010. We inducted our newest PERC member, Dan Giovannelli (Executive Director of Global Solutions), as well at the event.

Special Olympics Polar Plunge

2010-12-04T15:38:00.000-08:00

The 1st Annual Polar Plunge for Special Olympics was held on December 4, 2010 near Heinz Field. We had a great joint Team Get Involved!/Pittsburgh East Rotary Club effort that raised over $1300 for Special Olympics of PA. I have really enjoyed serving as Chairman of the Young Professionals Committee so far and am looking to the Plunge next year.

University of Pittsburgh First Year Athletes

2010-12-04T15:33:00.000-08:00

Assistant Athletic Director Penny Semaia invited me to speak with all of the first year athletes at the University of Pittsburgh on Tuesday, November 30. The program was held at the Peterson Events Center and was focused on empowering the student athletes to focus on goal setting both on and off the field. Pitt runs a terrific athletic program and it was a real honor to speak with 150 student athletes at this event.

Women in Service Power Hour

2010-12-04T15:28:00.001-08:00

We had a terrific Women in Service themed Power Hour on Tuesday, November 30. Our panel featured five excellent female leaders in the region: Erin Molchany (PUMP), Leigh-Anne Weiss (Gateway H.S.), Roxanne Buckels (Rotary Club), Meghan Roe (Junior League), and Abby Sadowsky (New Pittsburgh Collaborative). The Junior League of Pittsburgh was our first Power Hour Charity of the Month and we gathered funds and diapers for their diaper drive.

Coro Running for Public Office program

2010-12-04T15:18:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of serving as the trainer of Coro Pittsburgh's twelve week Running for Public Office: Emerging Leaders in Public Service course again this fall. I moderated a terrific debate between three candidates, Sarah Welch, Arita Gilliam, and Dan Soltesz, for mock Allegheny County Executive on Monday, November 29 at City Council Chambers. Arita won the election and I was proud to congratulate 17 great leaders on graduating from the class. (This photo was taken immediately after Arita was declared the winner of the election)

Cabrini College

2010-11-24T10:37:00.000-08:00

A terrific students affairs professional named Stephanie Reed invited me to come speak with her students at Cabrini College on Tuesday, November 16, 2010. Cabrini College is located close to Philadelphia in Radnor, PA. I spoke with students about the important role of service within our professional lives and enjoyed my visit to Cabrini's campus.

Carlow SGA 2010 Debate

2010-11-24T10:32:00.000-08:00

I moderated the Carlow Student Government Association debates for the second year in a row on November 9, 2010. These students always do a terrific job fielding my questions about their plans to make a difference on campus. Congratulations to Leah Scott and Alex Verona for winning the election the following day and to everyone involved in the event.

Gateway High School- Follow Your Dreams!

2010-11-24T10:27:00.000-08:00

I had the honor of speaking with about 40 terrific student leaders at Gateway High School on November 9, 2010 through "The Future is Mine" program. It is coordinated by my good friend Leigh-Anne Weiss, who is the Community Service Director. The focus of our discussion on November 9th was "follow your dreams" and the students did a great job of sharing about what they hope to achieve in the future.

Hearts and Hands Gala

2010-11-08T12:57:00.000-08:00

My BBBS colleague, Gina Cieslewicz, and I served as Co-Emcee's of the annual Hearts and Hands Gala in Millvale on November 6. The event raised funds for the Change a Heart: Franciscan Volunteer Program and was coordinated by Director Kelly Caddy. Celebrity wine pourers included Gene Collier, Dennis Bowman, Doug Oster, and Coach Walt Harris.

Rotary Pancake Breakfast

2010-11-08T12:33:00.000-08:00

Regina Anderson and I served as Co-Emcee's of the 2010 Pittsburgh East Rotary Club Pancake Breakfast. The event, which was held in East Liberty, raised over $10,000 for the community organizations that PERC supports including East End Cooperative Ministries. Regina also is my Co-Host for the monthly Power Hour series.

Engineers Without Borders Conference

2010-11-08T12:19:00.000-08:00

I enjoyed spending Friday evening, November 5, as the Keynote Speaker of the Engineers Without Borders Regional Conference. The crowd of 100 EWB members consisted of many well intentioned students and professionals who continue to make a positive difference in the lives of others locally and abroad.

Airport Chamber Mixers with Shakers

2010-11-08T12:10:00.000-08:00

Serving as a "celebrity bartender" at the annual Airport Chamber Mixers with Shakers event last week was a really neat experience. The event raised funds for local non-profit organizations. I was mixing and shaking on behalf of Special Olympics and we raised a little over $200 for the organization with the "Special Olympics Super Juice".

"His Place" on Cornerstone Network

2010-11-08T12:06:00.000-08:00

I had a nice time as a guest on two episodes of "His Place" last week on the national Cornerstone Network. I provided some election night coverage on Episode 7 and mentored a young man in his twenties in Episode 8. You can check out both episodes at: www.hisplace.tv

Pathway to Professions at Pitt

2010-11-08T11:48:00.000-08:00

On October 28, I was honored to serve as the Keynote Speaker at the annual Pathway to Professions event at the University of Pittsburgh. This event brings together 150 current students with 125 alumni of all ages and careers to help assist current undergraduates in making important connections. Thanks to Danielle Scott for organizing a terrific event and for inviting me to speak with the tremendous Pitt students in attendance.

Soltesz and Anderson named 2010 Mr and Ms Power Hour

2010-11-08T11:43:00.000-08:00

Dan Soltesz and Regina Anderson were named Mr and Ms Power Hour on October 26, 2010. Voting took place at the August and September Power Hour events and was based on service to the community and willingness to promote community based organizations in the region. Congrats to Regina and Dan for all of the positive work that they do in the community!

October Plunge Power Hour

2010-11-08T10:36:00.000-08:00

We featured two very important community events at the October Power Hour. It was Plunge night and several of our panelists, including Western PA Development Director Kraig Makohus, shared about the Special Olympics Pittsburgh Polar Plunge. The event will be held on December 4 at Heinz Field and details are at www.plungepa.org. Steve Zumbrun from the Mayor's Office and Nicole Molinaro from Communities in Schools also promoted the Graduate Pittsburgh Summit at Power Hour.

Monroeville Sunrise and Churchill Wilkins Rotary

2010-11-08T10:32:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of speaking with my fellow Rotarians in the Churchill Wilkins Club on October 20 and the Monroeville Sunrise Club on October 26. Featured in the photo is Sunrise Club President Jane Gurley who is doing a great job leading her group.

UPG Leadership Conference

2010-11-08T08:51:00.000-08:00

The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg has been one of my favorite places to speak during the last three years and actually was the location of my first speech in early 2008. I was honored to serve as the Keynote Speaker of their 2010 Leadership Conference. Andrew Bock and his colleagues did a great job organizing a fantastic conference for students from UPG and five other local colleges.

Allegheny College

2010-11-08T08:47:00.000-08:00

CR President Derek Dye and his fellow members were great hosts during my visit to Allegheny College on October 19. I enjoyed spending the day with their fellow Allegheny College Gators and giving a lunchtime session for the CR's and a campus wide presentation in the evening.

PCPA Conference in West Chester

2010-11-08T08:24:00.000-08:00

The 2010 Pennsylvania College Personnel Association Conference took place October 17-19 in West Chester, PA. I enjoyed giving two presentations at the conference again this year. The afternoon session was co-presented with my friend and colleague, Lynn Burke, of Gettysburg College and focused on aiding graduate students in mastering their master programs.

Hillel "Hometown Pittsburgh" initiative

2010-10-15T12:33:00.000-07:00

David Katz, Director of J'Burgh, invited me to speak to undergraduate and graduate students from Pittsburgh at Hillel on October 14, 2010. I shared with the group about the importance of service in our lives and also the benefits of remaining active not only while in school, but throughout our entire career. This terrific committee is focused on assisting and empowering students to stay in Pittsburgh after degree completion.

IUP Associates for Student Development

2010-10-15T12:30:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, October 12 I did a lunchtime presentation for the Associates for Student Development at Indiana University of PA. I enjoyed sharing with students about techniques to network more effectively and proactively move their professional lives forward. Before my speech I presented Shauna Sergent, ASD President, with the 2010 Get Involved! Student Leadership Award. I am very proud to consider Shauna and her classmates as colleagues!

Westmoreland County Community College Leadership Conference

2010-10-15T12:26:00.000-07:00

I was honored to serve as the Keynote Speaker of the 2010 Leadership Conference at Westmoreland County Community College. Kelly Carpenter and her students at WCCC did a fantastic job organizing a really terrific conference. WCCC recruited students from other campuses to attend and it was a really nice day long program.

Slippery Rock University Career Fair

2010-10-15T12:22:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, October 5 I spoke with 100 Slippery Rock University students to help them get prepared and motivated for the upcoming campus job fair. We discussed best practices and techniques to make the most of any career fair or networking event. Thanks to Career Services Director Tony Linnan for inviting me to speak with his students.

Rotary District 7300 Social

2010-10-15T06:12:00.000-07:00

Serving as President of the Pittsburgh East Rotary Club has been an excellent experience so far. Our club hosted a district social at Club Secretary Holly McIntosh's house in Eighty Four, PA on Friday, October 1. We look forward to making this an annual fellowship event.

Senator John Heinz Community Service Award

2010-09-27T13:08:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my friends with the PAYR's for presenting me with the 2010 Senator John C. Heinz Community Service Award. I was really touched to receive this honor in Harrisburg on Saturday, September 25. It was presented by my friend and PAYR State Vice Chairman Ben Holland. I love serving on boards, working on committees, planning events, and mentoring others and it meant a good deal to me to be recognized by my colleagues with this award.

Leadership Seminar at University of Pittsburgh

2010-09-27T12:43:00.000-07:00

I had a great discussion with about 20 students in Dr. Wendell McConnaha's leadership class at the University of Pittsburgh on Thursday, September 23. The class developed a series of terrific questions and we had a positive and interactive talk about theories related to leadership. The course is designed to featured four guest speakers throughout the semester and I was honored to participate.

2010 ImPAct Conference in Harrisburg

2010-09-13T09:05:00.000-07:00

The 2010 ImPAct conference was held during the weekend of September 10-12 and I had the honor of serving on an excellent panel on September 11 in Harrisburg. My co-panelists Sovanna Mam, Paul Carozzoni, and I talked about the "Quarter Life Crisis" and shared ideas with the crowd of 50 about ways to make the most of transition times during your young professional years.

Americorps KEYS

2010-09-13T08:59:00.000-07:00

I always have such a good time speaking with the Americorps KEYS members. This was my fifth time speaking with a KEYS class since Get Involved! was released in 2008. The group of 55 members on September 10 was fantastic and I feel certain that they will make a positive difference at their work sites this year.

University of Pittsburgh CR's "Give Our Passion"

2010-09-13T08:55:00.000-07:00

I had a really nice time speaking with the CR's at the University of Pittsburgh on September 8. Rachel Feinstein and Matt Vermiere are doing a really good job leading the group and I was impressed with the crowd of 50+ for an 8:45 pm meeting.

Lancaster County YRs "Give Our Passion" meeting

2010-09-13T08:44:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the Lancaster County YRs for inviting me to speak about Give Our Passion at their meeting on September 1. It's always great to see and speak with my YR friends (including Past Chairman and Assistant District Attorney Josh Parsons) in Lancaster. They really have a terrific group, led by Cindy Lonergan!

"Give Our Passion" debuts at MU University Store

2010-09-13T08:36:00.000-07:00

My second book, Give Our Passion, is now on sale at the Millersville University Book Store. We had a book signing and speaking event on September 1. Thanks to Store Manager Audrey Herr and her staff for putting the event together and to the Lambda Chi Alpha chapter at Millersville for attending.

New Co-Host Regina Anderson welcomed at August Power Hour

2010-09-13T08:30:00.000-07:00

Regina Anderson was welcomed as the new Co-Host of the monthly Get Involved! Power Hour series on August 31. Regina helped organize a terrific panel that featured Jordan Kay, Jimmy Wells, Kelsey Halling, Darlene Terry, and Patrick Flynn. Highlights from Power Hour can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/bakerleadership

Audiobook signing at Carlow University

2010-08-30T13:03:00.000-07:00

I spent the afternoon on August 29 signing audiobooks with first year students at Carlow University at the Annual Activities Fair. It is always really a great afternoon and nice to meet all of the new students who are about to start their collegiate journey. This year the students even convinced me to go into the dunk tank, which felt very nice after a very hot afternoon in the sun.

Philadelphia Region Job Corps Academic Olympics

2010-08-30T12:04:00.000-07:00

Students from all over the country came to Pittsburgh on August 26 for the Philadelphia Region Job Academic Olympics. I enjoyed serving as Moderator during the four hour competition that featured some terrific Job Corps students answering questions in a myriad of academic categories. This photo was taken with the championship team from the Shriver Job Corps Center in Massachusetts.

PAYR Leadership Conference

2010-08-30T11:59:00.000-07:00

The PAYR Leadership Conference was held in Philadelphia this year and was a nice chance to share about "Give Our Passion" with young leaders from all over PA during Saturday afternoon on August 21. I was also very honored to receive the 2010 Senator John Heinz Community Service Award on Sunday morning.

Student Athlete Leadership Academy

2010-08-12T11:25:00.000-07:00

On August 6 I spoke with 75 terrific students at the Student Athlete Leadership Academy. The conference was held at Robert Morris University. I was really impressed by the big, but achievable, dreams and goals that these student athletes shared during my 3 presentations.

Rita's Celebrity Scooper

2010-08-12T11:22:00.000-07:00

Mark and Sonia Stopperich, the owners of Rita's of McMurray, invited me to be a Celebrity Scooper on Sunday, August 1. I had a really fun time dishing out "Give Our Passion" Fruit and other tasty Rita's flavors to customers. The event also raised $150 for BBBS.

Baker Leadership Speakers Bureau Launch

2010-08-12T11:14:00.000-07:00

The Baker Leadership Speakers Bureau launched on July 29 at the Shadow Lounge in East Liberty. Featured speakers from the bureau at the event included Jeff Canter, Shawn Graham, and Bill Frase. To learn more about the bureau or discuss booking a speaker visit http://www.bakerleadership.com/speakersbureau

RIC Karaoke Night Emcee

2010-07-22T14:36:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of Emceeing and giving a career focused speech with about 50 Regional Internship Center students on July 15. This was my third year as Emcee of the event and it is always enjoyable to work with the RIC staff and speak with the summer interns. Information about the RIC is at www.theregionalinternshipcenter.org

Episode #6 of Get Involved! Pittsburgh on PCTV 21

2010-07-22T14:32:00.000-07:00

We filmed the sixth episode of Get Involved! Pittsburgh on July 1. Our terrific guests included Doreen Welsh, Michele Conti, Melissa Ward, Roxanne Buckels, and Dan Garcia. Information about our guests and airing times are listed at www.bakerleadership.com/pgtv

June 2010 Power Hour

2010-07-15T22:09:00.000-07:00

We featured four terrific panelists at the June 2010 Power Hour. They were Tim Benz of 105.9 The X, Dr Aimee Kimball of UPMC Sports Medicine, Orlana Darkins of The Shyne Awards, and Amy Franz of Boy Scouts of America. They all had a very positive message to share with our attendees.

Give Our Passion launch at Joseph Beth Books

2010-07-15T22:05:00.000-07:00

We had our Pittsburgh launch for Get Involved! Give Our Passion on July 1 at Joseph Beth Booksellers. I have really appreciated Joseph Beth Books featuring both of my books and audiobook in their store over the last three years.

Americorps KEYS summer volunteers

2010-07-15T22:01:00.000-07:00

It is always terrific to share the Get Involved! message with Americorps members. I spoke with about 65 volunteers on June 28 who will be working and serving others all over the region this summer.

Rotary Club President 2010-11

2010-07-15T21:58:00.000-07:00

My fellow Pittsburgh East Rotary Club members and I gathered on June 16 to congratulate our outgoing President Deborah Hughes and also swear in two new members, Holly McIntosh and Kristina Elias. I am honored to be the new President of our club and feel strongly that we will have a great year together as a club. Service Above Self!

Parkway West Rotary Club

2010-07-15T21:56:00.000-07:00

Parkway West Rotary Club President Roxanne Buckels invited with me to share about Get Involved! with her members at their lunchtime meeting on June 16. I was very happy to be on hand as Roxanne and our fellow Rotarians honored a few graduating high school students with scholarships for college.

Elks Lodge 258 Flag Day Ceremony

2010-07-15T21:51:00.000-07:00

Erin and I traveled to East Liverpool, Ohio on June 13 for my speech with Elks Lodge 258 at their annual Flag Day ceremony. The Elks put together a very nice program and I was honored to share about what the flag means to me with lodge members, their friends and families, and also the local Boy Scouts troop.

Give Our Passion launches in Hershey

2010-07-15T21:48:00.000-07:00

My sophomore book, Get Involved! Give Our Passion, launched in Hershey, PA during the weekend of June 11. It was great to receive the support and warm reception of so many terrific friends, including Washington County District Attorney Steve Toprani, as we launched this new book. You can purchase Give Our Passion at www.bakerleadership.com

State Chairman two year term concludes

2010-07-15T21:43:00.000-07:00

My two years as State Chairman of the PAYRs concluded on June 12. Serving statewide in this role was an amazing experience and I am so appreciative of the opportunities and friendships that stemmed from my term in this role. I look forward to assisting my friends, including Brittany Tressler, Ben Holland, and Tiffany Iriana, as the Past Chairman.

Preston graduates from McCaskey

2010-07-15T21:40:00.000-07:00

My little brother, Preston, graduated from McCaskey High School in Lancaster, PA on June 10. I was so proud to be on hand to cheer him on as he crossed the stage. Preston and I were matched in 2002 and watching him grow and develop into an amazing young man over the last 8 years has truly been one of the best experiences of my life. Preston will be attending Franklin and Marshall College this fall and is playing on the soccer team.

Get Involved! Allderdice Student Leadership Award

2010-07-15T21:36:00.000-07:00

Who says you can't go home? I presented a terrific high school senior, Max Eichner, with the Get Involved! Allderdice Student Leadership award and $200 scholarship on June 8 at my high school alma mater. It was great to get to know Max and his family at the Awards Convocation event. Max was a standout athlete, student, and leader within several organizations during his years at Allderdice.

Graduation Speaker at Spectrum Charter School

2010-07-15T21:33:00.000-07:00

It was an amazing honor to be the Graduation Speaker at Spectrum Charter School's commencement ceremony on June 3 in Monroeville. It definitely made me think back to my own high school graduation and the big choices that we all make as we graduate and move forward.

Transform Pittsburgh

2010-07-15T21:30:00.000-07:00

The Coro Center for Civic Leadership asked me to Emcee "Transform Pittsburgh" on June 1 and it was a great event to promote civic engagement in the community. I even got to play Donald Trump in a skit called the Mentor Apprentice to help share about BBBS.

May 2010 Power Hour

2010-07-15T21:26:00.000-07:00

We had a great set of panelists at Power Hour on Monday, May 24. George Zboyovsky (Brentwood Borough Manager), Danielle Tyson (Leadership Pittsburgh), and Cris Lang (The Growth Coach) shared with our attendees about their careers and involvements.

North Hills Community Outreach Staff Training

2010-07-15T21:23:00.000-07:00

I have been on the Board of Directors of North Hills Community Outreach for about a year. On May 19 I did a leadership training with the staff at NHCO and had a great time getting to know our excellent staff better. Information about NHCO is at www.nhco.org

Lawrence County event

2010-07-15T21:20:00.000-07:00

The Lawrence County YRs hosted a rally on May 11 and I had the pleasure of serving as one of the featured speakers. The event was organized by Dave Cochenour and over 100 participants were in attendance.

The Chamber of Commerce

2010-07-15T21:17:00.000-07:00

On May 11 I spoke with members of The Chamber of Commerce at the Cranberry Township Municipal Building at a lunchtime networking meeting.

Future is Mine Conference

2010-07-15T21:14:00.001-07:00

I had a great time presenting about social media strategies at the Future is Mine Conference this spring. It was a neat opportunity to collaborate with Gateway High School students on the "To Tweet or Not to Tweet" session.

2010 Get Involved! SAHE Leadership Award

2010-05-09T23:53:00.001-07:00

Erin and I traveled back to my graduate school Alma Mater, Indiana University of PA, on Friday night to present the Get Involved! SAHE Leadership Award and $250 scholarship to a terrific student named Shauna Sergent. Shauna is the new President of the Associates for Student Development, which is a position I truly enjoyed holding during graduate school. Congrats Shauna on all of your success and service!

Interview with Commissioner Jim Cawley

2010-05-09T23:46:00.000-07:00

On his recent trip to Pittsburgh we filmed a special Get Involved! interview with Bucks County Commissioner and 2010 Lieutenant Governor candidate Jim Cawley. Commissioner Cawley truly made the most of his 20s and 30s through service work and shared a good deal of expertise. You can view the interviews at: http://www.youtube.com/bakerleadership

South Asia Youth Summit

2010-05-06T11:11:00.000-07:00

I spoke with 21 excellent students and teachers from the South Asia Youth Summit on May 5. The Youth Summit is organized by Gregg Bell and Magee International and I have enjoyed working with them for the last few years. The students were terrific and had lots of big dreams for their future.

Pittsburgh Marathon

2010-05-06T11:09:00.000-07:00

I was really happy to finish the Pittsburgh Half Marathon on May 2 in 2:42. It had been 8 years since I ran 13.1 miles and it felt great!

April 2010 Power Hour

2010-05-06T11:03:00.000-07:00

We had two excellent guest panelists at our Power Hour on April 27. Chad Amond, President of the Monroeville Area Chamber of Commerce and Michele Conti, owner of Inspiretees shared good insights about business and service with our group.

5th Annual Let Them Eat Cake

2010-05-06T10:58:00.000-07:00

I was honored to serve as the Emcee of the Midwife Center's 5th Annual Let Them Eat Cake event on April 24 at the Children's Museum. It was an amazing evening and I was very proud of my friend Regina Anderson who did a terrific job as Chair of the event. It was a nice chance to raise money for a great organization and also eat some tasty cake!

CCAC Career Event

2010-05-06T10:52:00.000-07:00

I spoke at the "Get Into the Employment Game" Career Fair and Fashion Show on April 23rd. It was a good crowd of about 200 students from CCAC and local high schools out in Monroeville. The theme of my speech was "Unscrabble your Career" and I shared about best practices to move your professional life forward.

Get Involved! Pittsburgh Service Summit

2010-05-06T10:48:00.000-07:00

Our first annual Service Summit was an amazing success and truly was one of the most special and memorable days of my life. We had amazing speakers featured at the event and honored some of the best, brightest, and most passionate leaders in the region. The event was held at the Union Project in Highland Park. We are looking forward to the second annual Service Summit next spring.

City Council Proclamation for "Get Involved! Service Summit Day" in Pittsburgh

2010-05-06T10:45:00.000-07:00

City Councilman Bill Peduto led the effort to have April 22nd named as "Get Involved! Service Summit Day" in the City of Pittsburgh. This was a tremendous honor and we really enjoyed receiving the proclamaton from council earlier in the week.

Society of Women Engineers

2010-05-06T10:43:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, April 20 I enjoyed speaking with the Society of Women Engineers. We had a terrific discussion over dinner at the Blue Water Tavern in Wexford. Congrats to Meghan Roe of PPG for planning a nice event.

SUNY Brockport

2010-05-06T10:37:00.000-07:00

I traveled to New York again this year for the SUNY Brockport Leadership Conference. My former SAHE colleague and classmate Lisa Johnson did an excellent job organizing this conference with her students. I spoke at 11am and 1:40pm with terrific groups of student leaders.

Fashions for Kids Sake 2010

2010-05-06T10:34:00.000-07:00

Jim Lokay from KDKA and I served as the Emcee's of the Fashions for Kids Sake event at Carlow University on April 15. The students planned an excellent fashion show and it was a really enjoyable experience to announce for all of our models. Congrats to event coordinator Emily Kolek for raising funds for BBBS and putting on a great show.

YRNF Conference in New Orleans

2010-05-06T10:25:00.000-07:00

In early April, I really enjoyed traveling to New Orleans and attending a great conference for work. On Friday, I also had an amazing opportunity to speak in between Congressman Mike Pence and former Lt. Governor of Maryland, Michael Steele at the YRNF National Conference about giving our passion to the organizations and causes that inspire us.

Chamber Connections Route 8

2010-03-30T11:22:00.000-07:00

On Friday, March 26 I spoke with Chamber members at the Chamber Connections Route 8 meeting held at the Village of Hampton Fields in Allison Park. We all set a goal together to make it a great Friday!

Get Involved! Power Hour #6

2010-03-30T11:14:00.000-07:00

Our 6th Get Involved! Power Hour was held on Thursday, March 25 and we had a tremendous group of panelists. They were: Trisha Ross from the Regional Internship Center, Bernadette Turner from Addison Behavioral Care and the African American Leadership Association, and Rebecca Cheung of the Boys and Girls Club.