April 2010 Archives

What is Penn State? We are Penn State.
That's more than a catchy phrase to shout at prospective students and to intimidate visiting sports teams. It's a statement of fact.

I'm about to graduate with a degree in Political Science and two minor certificates, all from the College of the Liberal Arts, and I've really spent some time lately thinking about the essence of Penn State and my experience here.

I once thought Penn State was a campus. I figured that the open lawn in front of Old Main, the dorm in which I lived up in East Halls, the classroom I had in Thomas, and the fountain outside the forum were Penn State. What did I know? I was new. I was out of state. I was a first generation college student. I learned throughout my first few months that Penn State wasn't simply those parts of its physical presence. I realized that Penn State was an idea (or maybe a collection of ideas): its classes, its professors, it's the fun we have at Football games, it's more than I could ever mention.

That notion of Penn State stuck with me for quite some time. It lasted me through a few years. Recently, though, I've been thinking about my time after Penn State. And I can't think about my time after Penn State without thinking about the place itself. I thought Penn State was ideas. I thought I knew Penn State. I've finally concluded - and I'm very confident about this, now - that Penn State is people.

Indeed: WE. ARE. Penn State. It's the "we," that is critical. I'm Penn State and you're Penn State. I should have noticed this a long time ago, of course, but I'm glad I know now. I know that the place I've grown to love isn't a bunch of lawns and buildings. And it's more than classes and fun. One thing connects all of those pieces: people. My friends, my enemies, and everyone in between make this place worth attending. If I look at my Penn State experience, the people I've met and known here are what have shaped it. I wouldn't enjoy those football games and that lawn in front of Old Main and that fountain outside the forum if it weren't for the people who make it special.

Some people insist that Penn State is tradition. Or that Penn State is a place to grow intellectually, not personally. I disagree with both those notions. Penn State, I contend, is more its present and its future than it can ever be its past.

I've served the students of the university for two years in their student government, and I've served the College of the Liberal Arts students by acting as their undergraduate student president. Now that I'm about to leave both roles, I want to explain why I put so much of my time into them. I did it, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat, because I love Penn State. And I didn't realize it at the time, but by Penn State, I mean its people. My constituents. Perhaps I can share some of my more interesting stories from those experiences in a separate entry here.

I led both the student government and the college's council because I wanted to. If I have advice for those that remain after me, it's this: do what you want. You should want to do well in classes, to contribute to campus, and to help those you care about. Set goals, and then achieve them. I loved giving back to the school I loved in my own unique way, and I encourage everyone to do something similar.

As I leave Penn State, I'll certainly look back fondly. And I'll remember that I learned what Penn State really is and why that made me want to contribute. Thanks, Penn State.

Many Liberal Arts students consider graduate school as they approach the end of their undergraduate education, but aren't quite sure what to expect. Preparing for graduate school can be confusing and overwhelming while juggling classes and schoolwork. I recently got in touch with Jacque Andrews ('08, Communication Arts and Sciences, Journalism), to find out how graduate school is going for her and what she did to prepare for it. Jacque is currently a graduate student at the University of Denver, working towards a master's degree in human communication studies.

What was the application process like for you when applying to graduate schools?

Jacque: I applied to three grad schools and took the GRE twice. I had to have 3 letters of recommendation for each school, so getting close to a few professors near the end of my time at PSU helped a lot with getting those taken care of. I think hearing back was really similar to undergrad application process. It didn't take too long but it also wasn't a short process either.

Why did you decide on a human communications graduate program?

Jacque: I chose human communications because I think a lot of jobs require great personal speaking skills and great writing skills. I also like that I can teach communications at smaller colleges with a Master's degree.

What made you choose Denver when narrowing down a specific school to attend?

Jacque: I chose Denver because I was interested in going to a smaller school, and Denver is just an all around great city. Also - Denver is kind of a "best kept secret" in the rhetoric world. We aren't huge and crazy well-known, but our professors are outstanding and all of them get published regularly and some are on the board of editors at a few important publications.

What are the main differences for you when comparing undergraduate coursework and graduate coursework?

Jacque: Graduate work is a LOT more writing and reading intensive. Having a book read by each class and 30 page papers due are a lot more than I was used to from undergrad. Also, because my program is very small, I work very closely with professors and other graduate students, which makes me feel like I have made really strong connections with other people who are interested in what I like to study.

What internships did you have as an undergraduate? What did you have to do and how did you find these internships?

Jacque: One of my internships was marketing for a Nevada garden shop--I helped plan and promote a wine tasting and gathered data on the shops demographic, did event coordination for a concert series in NV, took care of the band (food, drinks etc.) and set up the venue. I was a PR intern for the Reno Pioneer theatre, and I promoted upcoming shows. I did PR for the Reno Philharmonic where I wrote press releases and public service announcements for radio and TV, and then I wrote a television treatment for a show that a local company was pitching to FOX and ESPN. I found a lot of these through friends of my family, and then from people who knew me from events that I interned at.

Which internship have you found the most useful now that you're in graduate school?

Jacque: I think anything that involved writing and personal communication with people that I had to work with were really helpful. My writing was a lot stronger after writing announcements and press releases, and having to talk to people for work helped my interpersonal skills a lot. Strengthening my writing with internship duties has helped my graduate studies.

What advice would you give to prospective undergraduates thinking about graduate school?

Jacque: I would say to start early, get to know some professors that you would like to write recommendation letters for you. If you have a personal relationship with professors, they will gladly write great letters, which I think helped my application look really strong.

To other CLA students who have applied for and been accepted for a graduate program: where are you going? Why did you choose that program? What do you hope to accomplish?

For those of you who don't recall my name, I'm the outgoing Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council president. I'm writing now because I want to put up a congratulatory note to all the new and returning officers for the 2010-2011 academic year.

We held our elections last week, and as the new officers fill the roles that we are leaving, I have nothing but confidence in their ability to take the Council to better places and to use their voice as the student representatives to improve our college.

For 2010 - 2011, the officers will be:

President: Geoff Halberstadt
Vice President: Amanda Craig
Secretary: Nicole Zinni
Treasurer: Jarryd McManus

Geoff was elected to retain his seat in the Faculty Senate and will continue to represent students in our college to that body.

I believe that any student who wants to be able to be involved in something should be able to: and that's what I strove to create in the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council during my watch. It's gratifying to see eager faces sitting around a meeting table and waiting to become more invested in their college and university through something like LAUC. It's always nice to receive an email about how excited someone is to become a part of LAUC because they heard about us in the newspaper or on the LAUSatPSU blog.

I trust the next executive board to maintain these experiences for students throughout the college. I hope you'll consider attending LAUC meetings in the Fall and beyond! You can always reach us at lauc@psu.edu.

Dean Long starts off episode 7 of LAUS Radio by encouraging listeners to subscribe to our podcasts through iTunes. Dean Long and Heather Summerlin also announce that students can now subscribe to the LAUSatPSU blog through email. Just look for the email subscription box on the right column of our blog.

Sean Healy and Mohamed Raouda join episode 7 of LAUS Radio to talk about the Liberal Arts student magazine Agora. Sean and Mo discuss how the idea of a Liberal Arts student publication originated. They discuss how their transition to University Park (both are Commonwealth students who came to University Park from Altoona) and their desire to join a student organization with an emphasis on writing eventually led to their founding of Agora. Sean and Mo share their experiences in the creation of Agora and the publication process in general. They emphasize that their goal for Agora is to provide a venue for students to voice their opinions in a variety of areas including: current affairs, history, politics, the arts, and diversity.

Sean and Mo share how Liberal Arts students can get involved with Agora. The Agora team is currently looking for students to help in the advertising, marketing, and graphic arts departments. Student writers are also encouraged to submit their work to the magazine for possible publication. Students interested in joining Agora should attend the group's weekly meetings, Tuesdays at 9:15 in 110 HUB and should check out the Agora Facebook group. The next issue of Agora will be available Friday, April 23, 2010.

LAUS Radio Episode 7

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We encourage all of our listeners to write to us with comments, questions, or suggestions at laus@la.psu.edu. We may even respond to these comments on the next episode of LAUS Radio.

My last internship blog post focuses on the importance of networking. Penn State routinely organizes professional events where students have the opportunity to meet company representatives and recruiters, as well as Penn State alumni. I make a strong effort to attend professional events held on campus because they are an excellent opportunity for me to learn more about prospective employers and industries. Professional events provide students with the advantage of meeting and speaking with company representatives in person.

I have found that it is beneficial to research the company before I attend such business events so that I can speak intelligently and express my genuine interest in the company--students who are articulate and who have done their research will be able to ask more informed questions and will make a good impression on representatives from the company. At these functions, students have the opportunity to network and obtain business cards from a variety of representatives. When the time comes to submit an application for a specific internship position (or a full-time job), the student will already have a direct contact from the company that the student can notify to let them know they are applying for a position--this may help distinguish the student's application from a stack of 200 other applications. Both LionLink and the Nittany Lion Career Network are valuable networking resources; the Nittany Lion Career Network posts announcements about company information sessions under the events tab.

Career fairs are another excellent opportunity to network. Sometimes students leave career fairs and express feelings of disappointment or exasperation: maybe representatives were not currently looking to recruit students from your major or maybe you were not offered a chance to interview. I look at career fairs as an opportunity to network; I try to focus on having meaningful conversations with representatives and obtaining their business card so that I can broaden my professional network and have a direct contact at organizations of keen interest to me. It is critical for students to think about how to best market themselves and reflect on the unique qualities and skills that they possess. Students will be more confident and effective in a networking environment if they carefully consider what makes them an asset to employers.

If anyone has additional networking tips, post them here!

On Wednesday, April 7, various CLA students participated in the Undergraduate Exhibition, held in the HUB Alumni Hall. Offered by the Office of Undergraduate Education and the Schreyer Honors College, the exhibition provides students with an opportunity to present their research to other faculty, staff, and students, as well as the general public. 


We congratulate all of the Liberal Arts students who participated in the exhibition, but particularly the award winners from our college. Mackenzie Kagel (psychology) won the Social & Behavioral Sciences category for her poster, "Spatial Development:  How Parent-Child Interactions, Gender and race Play a Role." Erin Collins (French, German, and international studies) won the second place prize in the Public Scholarship category; her project was entitled "Islamkunde in NRW: A Source of Integration or Division?" 

CLA students also received three of the University Libraries Awards for Information Literacy at the exhibition.  Samantha Bernecker (Psychology, World Campus) won first place for her poster, "Patient Attachment Style and the Therapeutic Alliance." Buthainah Al Thowaini (English) received second place for her project, "The Status of English in the Islamic World."  And Allison Baker (Psychology) received an honorable mention for her poster, "Asian-American Acculturation and Subjective Well-Being." Great work, everyone!

Check out some photos from the event:

Having been heavily involved in student government and a plethora of other activities and student organizations, combined with the few visits I had made to University Park (UP), I thought that my transition to UP would be a smooth one; little did I realize just how hard it would be.

I arrived in the spring of 2009 having left my newly acquired friends back at the PSU Altoona campus, with no academic adviser, living about 2 miles off campus, while also experiencing the everyday academic problems that face an entering junior and the primary issues facing a freshman in adjusting to a new atmosphere. I quickly realized that this would be a more difficult semester then I had anticipated.

The following semester proved far better as I joined The Council of Commonwealth Student Governments, and worked hard to find ways in which I could address the issue of student transitioning through Penn State's unique system. I have come to understand that this university works in bursts with student transitioning being the hot topic to address right now. As a student whose transitioning experience was by no means a pleasant one I urge all of you who are about to undergo this process to pay special attention to the advice that will be given to you by faculty, staff, administrators, and students. Getting acquainted to State College and the size of University Park is not easy, but more importantly the opportunities that are available for students to take advantage of are immense. DO NOT WASTE THEM!

Coming from a commonwealth campus is an amazing way (and I think the best way) to enter the Penn State system and spending two years at your campus allows you to build strong friendships with faculty members and students while giving you unique opportunities to excel in leadership and academics. When making the transition to University Park, therefore, you have a wonderful opportunity to take full advantage of the opportunities available here just as you did at your campus. Some of these include joining the Schreyer Honors College (which you must apply for at the end of your sophomore year) or getting involved in some great student organizations that have strong voices on campus and will give you opportune chances to develop your leadership skills or address issues that you are passionate about. Some of these opportunities can be found in The Council of Commonwealth Student Governments, the University Park Undergraduate Association, THON, the Collegian, Agora: A Liberal Arts Magazine, and many many more. Each of these organizations provide you chances to make great friends and work towards a cause that you enjoy doing.

Transitioning to UP can be a great experience and making friends and keeping your grades up are important contributors to that experience. The administration and student leaders have come together to put together the April 10th Link U.P. event that is designed to give you all  the information that you need to have a great transitioning experience. As a student leader, it has been my experience that often times we ignore these events because we think we can do it on our own. While I do believe that every student has the potential to succeed on their own, you can do so much faster if you take some time to listen to all the great information that you will receive and all the important people you will meet, who at a moments notice will go out of their way to help you with this process.

The best advice I can give you as a student is to get involved and get involved fast; this will broaden your scope and allow you to make more friends who share your interest and with whom you can unwind. Meet your faculty members teaching the classes that interest you the most because those are the people that will recognize your passions and help you get to where you want to go. And finally talk to your adviser, meet with them, tell them about yourself, and ask them about the academic opportunities that you can pursue within your college: things like study abroad, internships, awards and scholarships are all available if you ask about them. Every college at this university has some amazing things you can get involved in, apply for, and succeed at, but these things will only be possible if you take that initiative. The vehicle of Penn State success is driven by the motivated students at this university, and in order to drive you need your license. Please take the time to explore your college, learn about the amazing opportunities available, get involved with organizations and I guarantee that there is no better experience than the one you will have received at Penn State.

I wish you all the best in this process and please don't hesitate to email me (raouda@psu.edu) if you have any questions, concerns, or just ways in which you can be involved around campus and engage in opportunities that will help you succeed in your first semester at University Park.

Geoff Halberstadt, LAUC Faculty Senator and AAC Delegate; Katelyn Perry, CLA Adviser; and Mary Fleming, Director of CLA Advising Programs join episode 6 of LAUS Radio to discuss this weekend's inaugural Link U.P. event.

Link U.P. is designed to assist Commonwealth Campus students in their transition to University Park campus. This Saturday, April 10th, approximately 500-700 Commonwealth Campus students will participate in this university-wide initiative. Advisers and staff from the College of the Liberal Arts will be there to interact with, answer questions from, and provide resources to students interested in the College of the Liberal Arts.

Katelyn, Mary, and Geoff discuss several of the unexpected challenges and stresses that students transitioning to the University Park campus may face. Katelyn and Mary point out specific advising and course scheduling issues that are important for change of campus students to consider. Also, the group considers how social media, and our LAUS blog in particular, could play a role in this kind of transitioning experience by blurring the boundaries between campuses and opening a more fluid dialogue between students, administrators, etc. Associate Dean Long asks these students to use our blog as a space to ask questions. What are the issues that you are facing? What are your concerns? What do you want to know?

Also, the group discusses last week's Liberal Arts Week Team Trivia night. Katelyn, Heather, and Jillian (as well as Ashley Tarbet and Suzanne Bennett) were members of the amazing, yet losing blue team. They discuss what went wrong and how they should strategize for next year. Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies Chris Long takes advantage of this opportunity to call out the trivia teams who did not know the answer to the following question: "Who is the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies in the College of the Liberal Arts?" (Hint: the answer rhymes with Liss Chrong.)

Lastly, Jillian makes a few announcements. This most important announcement being that Associate Dean Long just got his new iPad, so you should be jealous.

LAUS Radio Episode 6

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Liberal Arts Week 2010 took place last week after months of planning. As the chairperson of the event, I am proud to say we had a successful, interactive, entertaining, and educational week. Before I discuss some of the achievements of the week, I would like to thank all of the Liberal Arts and Penn State faculty, staff, and students who contributed to the planning and execution of our weeklong celebration. Without your help, such events would not be possible. The week is truly about community and bringing together various members of the college and campus to celebrate the values we share such as diversity, discussion, and knowledge.

We kicked off the week with a discussion panel on whether humanitarian aid should be increased. Our panelists consisted of Professor John Christman, Professor Cary Fraser, Liberal Arts student Samuel Settle, and Liberal Arts student Geoff Halberstadt. The discussion covered topics of foreign aid, the economy, and the disaster in Haiti. The panelists did a wonderful job in presenting diverse viewpoints on the subject matter. Each of them brought forth new knowledge that the audience could benefit from, such as the stories of Professor Fraser's experience living in Haiti as a Human Rights Observer. The audience was able to interact with the panel and participate in the discussion as well. Before starting the event, we took the time to introduce not only the panelists but also those in attendance to allow for a more personal atmosphere.

The second event of the week--our Undergraduate Research Panel--was just as successful and has become a tradition of Liberal Arts Week. Our panelists for this event included Dean Denise Solomon, Director of the Survey Research Center Kurt Johnson, and Liberal Arts student Edward Schwab. Each of the panelists discussed their current and favorite research projects. Dean Solomon studies communication in romantic relationships, Director Johnson oversees many of the research projects ongoing at Penn State and has studied homeless adolescents in the past, and Edward Schwab is completing research within medieval studies. The panelists addressed ways in which undergraduates can become involved in research both independently and with faculty and why research is important when applying for graduate schools. Students in the audience were given the opportunity to ask the panelists questions and also mingle with the panelists after the event while sharing some refreshments.

What would have been our third event in the series, the Cultural Fair was cancelled last minute. Scheduling did not work out as expected for some of the participating groups, but we thank those organizations who had signed up and hope to have better luck next year.

The final event--our Team Trivia Night--ended Liberal Arts Week 2010 on a high note. Five teams competed for gift cards to the creamery including a Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council team, College Democrats team, and Liberal Arts Undergraduate Studies team. Subway was provided for the event, and the atmosphere was very fun and laid back. Lauren Perrotti and Geoff Halberstadt hosted the event and put together the slide show of questions consisting of Liberal Arts, Penn State past and present, and current events trivia. The questions were increasing more difficult and more valuable point wise in each of the three rounds, which allowed some teams to make a comeback.

Check out some photos from Team Trivia Night:


A wager question was also presented at the end, which stumped all five of the teams: This year marks Graham Spanier's 15th year as Penn State President--what two other Penn State Presidents have served at least 15 years? Think you know? Join us next year if you'd like to find out!

On March 25, Liberal Arts alumni and students met at the Hintz Family Alumni Center to network and discuss jobs & careers. Approximately seventy-five students and fifteen alumni attended the event sponsored by the the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council and the Liberal Arts Alumni Society, with alumni representing careers in psychology, law, business, government, media, and non-profit sectors. This event provided a great opportunity for juniors and seniors to gain practical insights on internships, graduate school, law school, and jobs and for freshmen and sophomores to learn how to optimize the Penn State experience.

Check out the photos from this event:

My internship blog post this week will focus on creating effective résumés and cover letters. I have learned that all students should create a résumé early on in their college career that they continually enhance and perfect. I am so glad that I prepared my résumé and sample cover letter in advance because it enabled me to modify my résumé and cover letter for different summer internships both effectively and efficiently.
 
I am currently enrolled in LA 495.1, the College of the Liberal Arts non-departmental internship course, to receive college credit for my Spring 2010 internship with the Schreyer Career Services Office. When I visited Dr. Karen Peters, my professor for LA 495.1, during her office hours, she advised that when students are interested in a specific internship position they should look at relevant full-time job descriptions from the organization of interest; students can look at the qualifications section of a full-time job description that relates to a particular internship position and try to infuse the skills and qualities delineated in the description into their résumé and cover letter. I used this strategy by compiling a list of descriptive verbs and adjectives (e.g. execute, implement, orchestrate, utilize) from both full-time job descriptions and company websites of interest to me. I then employed this vocabulary to enhance my résumé and cover letters.
 
Before submitting a résumé, students should have professionals critique it. Career Services counselors can provide this service during drop-in counseling, open Monday - Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Drop-in counseling provided me with a great deal of flexibility because it afforded me the opportunity to receive quick career counseling on the fly. For instance, one day I received feedback on my résumé in between classes, and the next day I went in again to receive advice on my cover letter--what an incredible resource!
 
In addition, I possess a copy of the Career Guide for 2009-2010 provided by Career Services.  It includes information about professional events and career advice, ranging from how to create a résumé to interviewing tips. The Career Guide includes examples of résumés and cover letters that are very helpful to students who are creating their first résumé and cover letter. Students can stop by Career Services to pick up a hard copy of the Career Guide, or they can just visit the Career Services website, which contains a wealth of useful professional resources and information.
 
If anyone else has tips for creating effective application materials for internships or full-time positions, post them here!

Gena is a junior psychology major and a current intern for the Schreyer Honors College Career Development Office. She will be participating in a summer human resources internship at FOX 29 in Philadelphia. Read her first internship blog post here.