Graduate Spotlight: Matila Sackor

Graduate Spotlight: Matila Sackor

Major: BBH and Psychology

Lion’s Pantry Experience: Shift Manager 2021, Intern 2022-2023

Other Penn State Involvement: Public Relations Chair for Minorities in the College of Liberal Arts (MCLA), Research Assistant, member of the African Student Association (ASA)

Post-Graduation Plans: Attending Temple University to obtain my Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

What has your experience at The Lion’s Pantry taught you? 

My experience at The Lion’s Pantry has taught me how much I love to help others and give back to the Penn State Community.
What would you want freshmen and new students to know about The Lion’s Pantry?
Take advantage of the free resources that are provided just for you! I wish someone would have told me about The Lions Pantry my freshman year.
What Lion’s Pantry accomplishment are you most proud of?
Holding office hours and working on the Amazon Wishlist!
Please share a favorite memory from working at The Lion’s Pantry.
My favorite memory at Lion’s Pantry was Canstruction 2022.

The 2023 Lion’s Pantry Recipe Book: The Pantry Pal

The Lion’s Pantry is proud to release our first recipe book called The Pantry Pal, containing submissions from Penn State community members. The recipe book contains sections like Breakfast For Champions, Appetizers, Quick & Easy Dinners, and Delicious Desserts. This version also contains how-to guides, conversion charts, and more to help our fellow Penn Staters.

Find the PDF version of our 2023 Recipe Book here! 

Graduate Spotlight: Emily Bill

Graduate Spotlight: Emily Bill

Major: Nutritional Sciences

Lion’s Pantry Experience: Volunteer since 2020, Intern Fall 2022-Spring 2023

Other Penn State Involvement:Gamma Phi Beta Member, Student Nutrition Association, THON Hospitality Committee Member

Post-Graduation Plans: Going to graduate school to get my Masters in Science in Clinical Nutrition at Rutgers University

What has your experience at The Lion’s Pantry taught you? 

My experience at The Lions Pantry has opened up my eyes tremendously. It taught me that everyone has their own battles they are dealing with, regardless of how they may be perceived from the outside.
What would you want freshmen and new students to know about The Lion’s Pantry?
If I had the opportunity to tell freshman about The Lions Pantry, I would tell them it has been one of the most fulfilling parts of my entire college experience! I would tell them that they are not only making a difference in so many lives, but that they will get to make such genuine connections and friends that they will keep forever!
Graduate Spotlight: Elon Bowie

Graduate Spotlight: Elon Bowie

Major: Human Development and Family Studies

Minors: Deafness/Hearing Studies and Rehabilitation Human Services

Certificates: QRP Training, Darkness to Light Certification, FERPA Training Certificate, Youth Mental Health

Lion’s Pantry Experience: Canstruction® Volunteer (2022) and Engagement Director (2022-2023)

Other Penn State Involvement: HHD Ambassadors, Student Network Engagement Intern, Peer Career Assistant, Students United Against Poverty

Post-Graduation Plans: Obtain Masters in School Counseling from New York Institute of Technology

What has your experience at The Lion’s Pantry taught you? 

My experience at The Lion’s Pantry has taught me transferable skills that I will be able to use in certain settings such as organizational, time management and communication skills. This has also brought an awareness to me about food insecurity at University Park, and I was glad to work with other executive members on the board, but student managers, and interns to keep fostering the growth of having food and resources to the Penn State students.
What would you want freshmen and new students to know about The Lion’s Pantry?
This is a great way to get involved and to give back to the community. Other than placing this on a resume, this is an opportunity to gain leadership skills.
What Lion’s Pantry accomplishment are you most proud of? 
I am proud of being an Engagement Director. I never thought that I would hold an executive position during my time at Penn State but my friend, who was the President encouraged me to apply. If I didn’t listen to her, then I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to have such an amazing experience and work with amazing people!
Please share a favorite memory from working at The Lion’s Pantry.
Helping with Sunday Workdays with the Facility Coordinator and Cub Pantry Coordinator. This was a way for me to be apart of the logistical side of the pantry where I usually don’t work in that area of the pantry.
Announcing Lion’s Pantry Executive Board 2023-24 Open Positions

Announcing Lion’s Pantry Executive Board 2023-24 Open Positions

Are you interested in holding a leadership role within The Lion’s Pantry, Penn State’s student-run food pantry that helps feed students with a valid PSU ID? 

The Lion’s Pantry is happy to announce open Executive Board positions for the upcoming (2023-24) academic year. We are looking for the following positions: Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Cub Pantry Coordinator, Facility Coordinator, Engagement Director and Outreach Director. Please see below for more information about these positions.

If interested in one of these positions, please fill out this application by noon (12 p.m. EST) on Tuesday, April 11. If selected to participate in an interview, you will receive an email from The Lion’s Pantry 2023-24 President Nick DiPierro at ngd5090@psu.edu. We look forward to receiving your application!

 

VICE PRESIDENT

Brief Description

The Vice President should have strong leadership skills, be able to work in teams and have good time management abilities. They lead executive meetings and assist other executive members with general tasks. The Vice President is also expected to create ideas, initiatives and strategies for the organization. As such, the Vice President should strive to be knowledgeable and comfortable with all aspects of the organization and show a degree of personal initiative. 

Responsibilities  

The Vice President is responsible for many tasks and should expect to dedicate no less than 7-9 hours to The Lion’s Pantry per week.

Responsibilities include — but are not limited to — the following: 

  • Delegate mandatory officer trainings attendance at the beginning of each school year 
    • Certain executives would be suited to attend specific meetings 
  • Help organize new member orientation 
  • Attend executive meetings 
    • Lead meeting if President is absent 
  • Provide updates and information to General Body.  
    • Meeting reminders, event updates, etc. 
  • Assist President with overseeing executive member activities 
    • Ensure each member is completing required tasks 
    • Assist members when they need it 
    • Help members come up with new ideas 
  • Be present at meetings with stakeholders, University staff/faculty, partners, etc. 
  • Be willing to take lead on some events and project 
  • Create, lead, and implement projects to better operations, outreach, advocacy, etc. 

 

TREASURER

Brief Description

The Treasurer oversees our ASA account and budget for the organization. They must record all financial transactions for the club. Potential candidates should be meticulous, organized and detail oriented. The Treasurer will be responsible with communicating at a minimum of a bi-weekly basis with the Advisor/Facility Coordinator to ensure purchasing, invoicing and operations are running smoothly.  

Responsibilities  

The Treasurer should expect to contribute no less than 5-7 hours to The Lion’s Pantry per week. Responsibilities include — but are not limited to — the following: 

  • Attending mandatory officer training during the first week of the semester 
    • Note: Failure to do this will result in the suspension of the organization 
  • Preparing the organization’s budget, presenting it to the executive team for approval, and ensuring that club activities adhere to the budget 
  • Maintaining accurate financial records in conjunction with the Advisor.  
    • Records can be requested from ASA at their office in the HUB   
  • Transacting business only through our ASA account 
    • Using purchase orders for organization needs 
      • Updating list of members able to use purchase orders to include the President, Vice President, and Treasurer  
    • Submitting receipts to ASA to refund members in the event any member uses personal funds for the organization 
      • This must be done in a timely manner 
  • Providing at a minimum a bi-weekly finances update to the board at weekly meetings. The board will determine based on the current situation of the pantry how often these updates will be given and what materials should be included. These may include but are not limited to:  
    • Income, expenses, outstanding balances, etc.  
    • Any updates on check requests or purchase orders 
    • Budget information and discussion about any major spending/project budgets in consideration for the future 
  • Strive to develop surface level skills with excel to be used in presentations, weekly budget updates, etc.  
  • Attending executive and general body meetings 
  • Assisting with organization events: annual food drives, any potential volunteer opportunities that arise, etc.  
    • Provide insight on how these events will impact the pantry (either negatively or positively).  

 

SECRETARY

Brief Description

The Secretary has the role of managing the Lion’s Pantry communications via email and organizing and documenting the functions of the Lion’s Pantry executive team. The secretary should be organized and able to work with a wide variety of individuals within and outside of the organization. This position is vital as it ensures that proper communication channels are maintained 

Responsibilities  

The Secretary is responsible for a variety of tasks and should expect to dedicate no less than 3-5 hours to The Lion’s Pantry per week. Responsibilities include —but are not limited to — the following: 

  • Organize weekly meetings by sending out invitations  
  • Maintain correspondences via email 
  • Monitor, filter, and send emails to specific individuals 
  • Take notes during exec meetings, keep track of votes.  
    • Update board members with meeting notes and voting results.   
  • Help create agendas 
  • Help manage the Lion’s Pantry teams  

 

CUB PANTRY COORDINATOR 

Brief Description

Cub Pantries are partnerships with several offices, departments, and organizations both off and on the University Park Campus. The Cub Pantry Coordinator is responsible to maintain communications and operations within these spaces. They are also expected to brainstorm adaptations to Cub Pantries to best serve the clients of the Lion’s Pantry as well as aid the development of new and existing Cub Pantries. 

Responsibilities  

The Cub Pantry Coordinator should expect to contribute no less than 5-6 hours to the Lion’s Pantry per week. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following: 

  • Tracking donations received at each Cub Pantry 
  • Coordinating with the Facility Coordinator to transfer supplies from the main facility to Cub Pantries and vice-versa 
  • Delegating weekly tasks to managers/interns  
  • Maintaining communications and respectful relations with each partnered space 
  • Attending weekly executive board meetings 
    • Keeping the executive board updated on any developments with Cub Pantry 
  • Meeting with existing and prospective Cub Pantry spaces 
  • Working with the rest of the executive board to further the operations and services of the Pantry in the best interests of the clients 

 

The following three positions — Facility Coordinator, Engagement Director and Outreach Director — are exciting opportunities still under development within the Executive Board. 

FACILITY COORDINATOR 

Brief Description

The Facility Coordinator serves as a liaison for multiple members of the team and will work most directly with the Advisor, Pantry Manager. This role is currently under development and could include tasks such as managing and ordering inventory. Preparing reports for the Advisor and Exec Team and creating and maintaining a Pantry calendar. The individual filling this position will play an important part in identifying its responsibilities and relationship to the Pantry, Exec Team, and Club.

 

ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR

Brief Description

The Engagement Director is tasked with directing and maintaining relations with the student population. They will also work closely with the other members of the exec board to support the Lion’s Pantry in its operations as a food pantry and as an organization. This position and the entailed responsibilities are still under development.

 

OUTREACH DIRECTOR

Brief Description

In this role, the Outreach Director would be the main point of contact for donor organizations, volunteer groups, and partnered organizations. They will also work closely with the other members of the Executive Board to support The Lion’s Pantry in its operations as a food pantry and as an organization. This is just a quick summarization of the position, as responsibilities will be updated over time.