Founder's Award

Dr. Kathryn Towns was an Emerita Professor at Penn State Capitol Campus where she was instrumental in founding both the Community Psychology and Women’s Studies programs. An internationally known advocate for women and children, Towns also founded PROBE, a non-profit career counseling service for single parents, homemakers, and pregnant teens; it was the model for a network of programs in Pennsylvania. She was the Executive Director for 22 years until her death. A woman of ''fierce decency'' and a consummate educator, Towns was a brilliant effective force for equality in development of the human potential without regard to race, gender, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. Her stellar career spanned over half a century. After earning a B.S. from Miami University, in 1944, she was a mathematician on the Manhattan Project and then a meteorologist in the WAVES. She spent the next 12 years teaching in high schools in Ohio and Pennsylvania. She then earned an M.Ed. and Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from Penn State in 1970. In 27 years at Penn State, she taught a wide range of graduate subjects from multivariate analysis to child development. She authored 121 papers. Among the many awards honoring her dedication and inspiration, she particularly cherished the Penn State Jordan Memorial Award for Teaching Excellence, the Artist of Life, from the International Women's Writing Guild, the first Service to Women award given in Pennsylvania and being designated Pennsylvania Woman of the Year by then Governor Thornburgh. She will be remembered by the thousands of people she empowered including students, colleagues, counselors, friends, and family. She changed lives. Her great spirit and ''yes, do it!'' will live on in heads beyond counting and across many cultures.

The Dr. Kathryn Towns P.R.O.B.E. Founder’s Award was developed to honor the memory of her by recognizing an outstanding P.R.O.B.E. graduate that captures the spirit of Dr. Towns. The award will be presented at P.R.O.B.E.’s 30th Anniversary Reception on November 20, 2008. The criteria for the award can be found on the nomination forms provided through the link below.