Penn State Health, Penn State College of Medicine celebrate Black History Month with awards, art, cuisine and more

Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine will celebrate Black History Month in February with awards and a variety of special events. Throughout the month and all year, we honor the accomplishments of Black Americans and the contributions of our Black and African American employees.

Here’s how to get involved:

Trailblazer Award nominations
Penn State Health seeks to highlight employees who are trailblazers within our health system and the community and who identify as Black or African American. Nominate a colleague for a Trailblazer Award at diversity@pennstatehealth.psu.edu by Friday, Feb. 28.

Culturally inspired cuisine
Enjoy a menu inspired by Caribbean cuisine and soul food at our hospital cafeterias on the following dates:

• Hampden Medical Center, Hershey Medical Center, Holy Spirit Medical Center, Lancaster Medical Center and St. Joseph Medical Center:
  • Monday, Feb. 3
  • Monday, Feb. 10
  • Monday, Feb. 24
• Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute (PPI):
  • Tuesday, Feb. 4
  • Tuesday, Feb. 11
  • Tuesday, Feb. 25

Win a voucher for a free culturally inspired meal by answering Black History Month Trivia questions by Friday, Jan. 31. When you visit the link, select your location of choice from the six listed above. Three winners will be selected for each location.

R&B music performance
Join the Multicultural Business Employee Resource Group (BERG) for a concert by the Maxwell Project: The Music of Earth, Wind and Fire and other R&B Legends:

• Saturday, Feb. 22
• 7 p.m.
• West Shore Theatre, 317 Bridge St., New Cumberland
• Contact diversity@pennstatehealth.psu.edu if you would like to attend.

The Multicultural BERG will cover the cost of the first 20 people interested. You can also purchase tickets directly on the West Shore Theatre reserved seating site.

Art displays
Each regional hospital and PPI will display art throughout February in collaboration with the Penn State College of Medicine Department of Humanities and the Nyeusi Gallery in Harrisburg.

Local news feature
Penn State Health and the College of Medicine will partner with abc27 News to highlight Dr. Angel Schuster, a pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital and assistant professor of emergency medicine and pediatrics at the College of Medicine, for her exemplary work in supporting and improving the central Pennsylvania community.

Join Multicultural BERG
Penn State Health’s Multicultural BERG and Black Professional Association are coordinating and hosting these Black History Month events. If you’d like to engage with colleagues across the health system by joining a BERG, complete this short survey.

Black History Month origins

Black History Month, also known as African American History Month, was first recognized in the United States in 1970 and has a history dating back to 1926.

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