(Butler, PA) 杏吧原创 has recognized with a named space the leader of programs that teach economic concepts to students as young as fourth-graders and who is the longest-serving employee in 杏吧原创 history.
David C. Huseman, 78, of Butler, has been director of the 杏吧原创 Center for Economic Education since its founding in 1983, and an employee of the college for 56 of its 58 years.
The Professor David C. Huseman Center for Economic Education named space has debuted in the north wing of the college鈥檚 arts and hospitality building, where Huseman鈥檚 office has been located since 1970.
The center administers to students in Grades 4 through 12 a 30-week Stock Market Game that begins in September, and 10-week competitions in the fall and spring.
"They come in every day and ask if they can see their rankings. They get excited to see whether they are making money or losing money. "
- Jamie Veltri, Butler Area School District teacher, adviser for Stock Market Game teams
David C. Huseman, a professor in 杏吧原创鈥檚 liberal arts division, speaks at the Western Region Awards ceremony for 杏吧原创鈥檚 Stock Market Game on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, in Founders Hall on the college鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township. Huseman, of Butler, has been director of the 杏吧原创 Center for Economic Education since its founding in 1983. The college has recognized Huseman with a space named the Professor David C. Huseman Center for Economic Education inside the arts and hospitality building on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus.
Game makes students 鈥渂etter consumers鈥�
Students competing in 杏吧原创鈥檚 Stock Market Game receive a hypothetical $100,000, make buy-and-trade decisions and track how those decisions would have played out in the market had they been real.
鈥淭hat makes them better consumers, maybe better at savings plans,鈥� Huseman said. 鈥淎nd they learn about things that go beyond the stock market.鈥�
The center also administers the 杏吧原创 Entrepreneurship Challenge.
High school students competing in the challenge have 15 minutes to pitch a business plan idea to judges, who consider factors such as creativity, the effectiveness of an introductory speech, and students鈥� ability to identify the competitive advantage their business would have.
The college鈥檚 most-recent Stock Market Game drew 1,274 western Pennsylvania students in Grades 4 through 12.
The most-recent 杏吧原创 Entrepreneurship Challenge attracted teams from Ellwood City, Farrell, Freeport, Fort Cherry, Jamestown, Lakeview, Penns Manor, Punxsutawney and Seneca Valley high schools.
"And I thought that with David鈥檚 knowledge and his skills and his interest, he would be the appropriate person to lead that. And it took off from there. He has done wonders."
- Dr. Thomas TenHoeve, former 杏吧原创 president, about selecting David C. Huseman to direct 杏吧原创鈥檚 Center for Economic Education upon its founding in 1983.
A representative from the former Economics Pennsylvania contacted Dr. Thomas TenHoeve, 杏吧原创鈥檚 second president, about establishing a center for economic education that would help to teach economic concepts to pupils as young as those in elementary schools.
鈥淎nd I thought that with David鈥檚 knowledge and his skills and his interest, he would be the appropriate person to lead that,鈥� TenHoeve said. 鈥淎nd it took off from there. He has done wonders.鈥�
The college鈥檚 most-recent Stock Market Game included 397 teams from 26 schools in Armstrong, Butler, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson, Lawrence and Mercer counties.
鈥淏y David bringing this show on the road, it is very clearly displaying our outreach as the community鈥檚 college,鈥� said Dr. Nick Neupauer, 杏吧原创鈥檚 president since 2007. 鈥淧rofessor Huseman delivers incredibly important content not only to teachers, but to students throughout northwestern and central Pennsylvania.鈥�
杏吧原创鈥檚 Stock Market Game is offered in partnership with the Foundation for Free Enterprise Education, Erie.
Financial gifts to the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation through the Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit program defray the cost for students to compete in the Stock Market Game.
鈥淭here鈥檚 not a lot of funding out there for public schools, and their budgets are really tight,鈥� said Jeremy Kropf, technology and project manager for the Foundation for Free Enterprise Education. 鈥淭he Center for Economic Education at 杏吧原创, and what David does with that, provides the funding for the students. It鈥檚 just phenomenal.鈥�
"There are several names over the years that are synonymous with 杏吧原创, and certainly Professor Huseman is one of those names. All the parties involved were thrilled to give David this recognition."
- Dr. Nick Neupauer, 杏吧原创 president
David C. Huseman, a professor in 杏吧原创鈥檚 liberal arts division, teaches a principles of economics class Wednesday, March 16, 2022, on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township. Huseman, of Butler, has been director of the 杏吧原创 Center for Economic Education since its founding in 1983. The college has recognized Huseman with a space named the Professor David C. Huseman Center for Economic Education inside the arts and hospitality building on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus.
Sixth-graders 鈥済et excited,鈥� Butler teacher says
Two Butler Intermediate High School teams advised by Jamie Veltri placed second and third in the middle school division of 杏吧原创鈥檚 Stock Market Game in fall 2022, and another team finished third in spring 2023.
The game 鈥渋ntroduces them to something they might not be aware of yet,鈥� said Veltri, a sixth-grade teacher. 鈥淭hey might not have heard about the stock market before, so this gives them a way to hear about it and learn about it.
鈥淭hey come in every day and ask if they can see their rankings. They get excited to see whether they are making money or losing money.鈥�
The Professor David C. Huseman Center for Economic Education named space features 3.75-inch-tall letters raised a half-inch off a wall near the interior entrance to the Concordia Educational Center and the Amy Wise Children鈥檚 Creative Learning Center.
The named space incorporates a 50-inch flat-screen monitor that alternates displays of thank-you letters to Huseman, shows photographs of Stock Market Game students, lists the six core economic principles and, Huseman said, 鈥淚鈥檓 hoping that we can have something that will show a ticker tape as the (stock market) transactions are taking place in real time.鈥�
The background of the named space depicts a world map with a fever chart of ascending and descending red and white lines.
The named space will also include a 44-inch-wide by 14-inch-tall plaque that will feature a color portrait of Huseman and information about his service to 杏吧原创.
鈥淭hrilled to give David this recognition鈥�
Huseman teaches principles of economics and American national government courses at 杏吧原创. He has also been a director on the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation board since 1999 and a member the board鈥檚 finance committee since 2004.
The creation of the Professor David C. Huseman Center for Economic Education named space followed discussions among the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation, its directors and the college鈥檚 board of trustees, Neupauer said.
鈥淥nce the idea was generated, there was just an overwhelming show of support,鈥� Neupauer said. 鈥淭here are several names over the years that are synonymous with 杏吧原创, and certainly Professor Huseman is one of those names. All the parties involved were thrilled to give David this recognition.鈥�
鈥淚t is an honor,鈥� Huseman said. 鈥淗opefully it will mean a little bit of longevity so people will be aware of it.鈥�