March 2012 Archives

I first set foot on South African soil on January 30^th, 2012. I'd slept a surprising amount on the flight from New York, and arrived feeling rested but mostly high on the excitement of being there. Africa! In the weeks leading up to the trip, I continuously felt like some unforeseen force would come bursting into my life and prevent me from going, but no such thing happened. I am not one to be overly cautious or expect the worst, but I felt like I was simply too lucky for it to be possible. I was selected as an REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) student by Dr. Erica Smithwick, a professor in the Geography Department to work with her research team in three coastal nature reserves in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province. Although I certainly didn't have much experience with any of the above (my majors are International Politics and Spanish), I was interested in all things environmental and had some knowledge thanks to my father, a biologist and horticulturist. The description I was given said that the trip would present "significant cultural and physical challenges" and I didn't know what that meant, but it smelled like adventure and that's what I was after.

I got exactly what I wanted. I had a number of close encounters with venomous snakes, bats, impossibly large bugs, etc. I cannot imagine a better opportunity for someone with a passion for traveling and environmental science, as you can see from my previous blogs from Barcelona, Spain, where I studied language and culture, and Los Angeles, CA, where I interned with the Reef Check Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to marine and reef conservation).  Sound awesome? It was.

The two subjects we were investigating were: 

• At what scale(s) dues nutrient availability limit vegetation production in post-fire ecosystems?
• How much carbon is stored in coastal, subtropical African forests? 

The fact that we were working on two different projects afforded me the opportunity to experience very diverse environments. The grasslands and forests are found in close proximity to one another in the Dwesa, Cwebe and Mkambati reserves, but present incredibly diverse landscapes. Perhaps the landscape I enjoyed the most, however, was that of the ocean. Feel free to check out my video post to hear more about the research and get a view of the Indian Ocean in Mkambati, or follow me on Twitter @ariannasimpson!

As an intern at the Career Enrichment Network, I often get the inside scoop on great career-related events for Liberal Arts students. There's one tomorrow that you definitely don't want to miss: the Alumni Networking Social.

Planned for months by the CEN (particularly by my fellow CEN intern Sarina Katz), this event will allow current students to meet up with tons of Liberal Arts alumni (PoliSci, Psych, LER, English- you name it!) and also polish up their professional networking skills in a facilitated environment. There are even alumni offering job shadowing opportunities- this is huge!

Please read this announcement blog post for more details on this amazing opportunity!

Before the event, you may still be wondering: how do I talk to professionals? Where can I get the confidence to really shine in front of these distinguished alumni?

Luckily, we at the CEN (with help from LAUS Dwight) have the answer...

ATTENTION: Due to overwhelming interest in the LAUC bus trip Washington D.C., all seats have been filled. Thank you to those who are coming on the trip and we hope to continue to provide intriguing programs in the future.

Thank you!

______________________________________________________________________________

This Sunday, March 25, LAUC will be hosting a bus trip to Washington D.C. It is peak Cherry Blossom season, so a group of LAUCers will be going around the National Mall to the monuments and museums.

I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have been able to fulfill a dream of mine: an internship with the premier civil rights agency of the United States - the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

As an undergraduate student majoring in Penn State's Law and Society degree program, I had a strong interest in the law. I had interned for a criminal defense attorney the year before working on an appellate murder case, and that experience increased my thirst for the legal field as a whole. I was eager for more, and ideally, an opportunity with a government agency that would broaden my horizons. After looking at numerous opportunities, including the United States Department of Justice, the FBI, and the CIA, I began to narrow down my search. I always had an interest in employment law, and thought that would be a good direction to explore. After finding out about internship opportunities through the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission website, I applied.

The news came about in July, 2011, several weeks after my interview. I had gone through the application process and then the phone interview with the deputy director of the Washington, D.C. field office. She had sent me an e-mail confirming my acceptance as an intern there for the fall semester of 2011. This aligned perfectly as it was my first semester as a Penn State student. I had transferred to PSU's World Campus following several years of courses at my community college. I was able to successfully obtain college credit and even financial assistance for the experience through the College of the Liberal Arts Career Enrichment Network. I was enrolled full-time at PSU, but because I was a World Campus student, I could continue my courses online while interning in Washington, D.C. It worked out perfectly, but would prove to be a very busy, yet very rewarding, semester.

I was able to work alongside trial attorneys, administrative judges, and investigators. I met some incredible people and made great friends while learning valuable skills and knowledge in the realm of employment law. I was assigned to the Enforcement Division of the EEOC's Field Office in Washington, D.C. As an enforcement intern, I would be responsible for my own caseload of employment discrimination claims submitted to the office. I handled over 40 cases during my time there, and was able to conduct preliminary investigations into the claims I received as well as educate charging parties (those filing charges with our agency) on how the EEOC regulations and federal laws pertain to their situations.

The EEOC is a federal agency that was created as part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It was created to enforce the statutes under Title VII of the Act, which created protected classes of individuals under federal law from employment discrimination. Since that time, the laws that the agency enforces have expanded. It now enforces several other federal laws as well. All of them are related to discrimination in the workplace in both the public and private sector nationwide. For instance, under such laws, it is illegal for an employer covered by those laws to discriminate against someone because of his or her color, race, national origin, disability, age, sex, and genetic information, to name a few.

I was naturally excited to learn about each of the laws and the protections offered to those they cover. I learned a lot of new things, such as to what extent people with disabilities are protected and what it takes to prove a case of discrimination by an employer. I quickly learned how many employees and employers alike are vastly unaware of their rights and responsibilities, respectively, under these federal laws.

It was an incredible experience and one that I'll always be proud of and grateful for. I'll be sure to elaborate and expand upon the specifics of each working day in a future blog.

At a large University such as Penn State there are many chances to get involved. Everywhere you turn there are different opportunities presented to you. When you walk into any major building on campus, the bulletin boards are canvassed with flyers of club meetings with enticing tag lines such as "meet new people," "free food," or "leadership positions available." Let's face it, who wouldn't want to meet new people, get free food and build their resume all at the same time?

Opportunities are presented to us in more than one way, through email list-servs, Facebook invites, tweets, flyers in our residence halls, and even through the traditional snail mail. These club opportunities range from doing philanthropy or community service, engaging in cultural conversations, spring break volunteer service trips, fighting social justice or mastering the social network. There is something for everyone to do. No person on this campus should feel left out. My advice for liberal arts majors is to find something that inspires you, support a cause, advocate for a social issue, and most importantly have fun. Participating in student organizations on campus is a great way to develop some specific skills. There are different committees within clubs that allow you to focus on a variety of your skills and interests. Committees range from public relations to community service to special events to education. Employers love to see that you are dedicated and have developed some type of skill within a student organization. It demonstrates your hard work and it helps to shows that you can be a productive, contributing member to a professional environment.

When I first arrived on campus I was overwhelmed at the many different extra-curricular activities in which I could participate. I learned quickly not to overextend myself by participating in too many clubs. Eventually, I narrowed down my list to several organizations, including: the Caribbean Student Association (CSA) and National Association for the Advance of Colored People (NAACP). It took me a semester to narrow down my choices but it was something that needed to be done. I soon realized it's not the number of clubs you are in, but the amount of work you contribute.

Another skill you gain by participating in student organizations is networking. Networking is a very important tool to have when considering a career post-graduation. Networking will help you reach your career goals, and build a network of colleagues within your field of work. When we think of networking most of the time we picture distinguished alumni, businessmen, businesswomen, or internship recruiters. One group of people we often leave out is actually our biggest network: our peers. That's right, I am talking about the students whom you interact with on a daily basis - from the girl who sits next to you in class to the kid you pass every weekend in the HUB. These students can also be great assets to your future career. I am not suggesting that you have to speak to random people all the time, but you might try to engage with members of your student organization. You may even find out that you both have similar interests and goals.

So the next time you are in Willard, Thomas, the library, the HUB or anywhere on campus where a flyer is plastered or the next time you see that tweet or Facebook invite, don't ignore them. Rather, take the opportunity to invest in your future. That one organization might open new doors and take you places you never thought you could go all because you took that chance; you took that opportunity to get involved.

For a list of student organizations to get involved with check out this website.

My heart skips a beat. Tiny beads of sweat appear on my forehead. I use "colorful language" to express my dismay.  And, although I frantically pound the delete button on my keyboard, I can't retrieve the unedited or misdirected or possibly inappropriate e-mail message I just sent. 

The topic of problematic e-mails came up during a workshop I attended recently.  Our facilitator shared an article he read in which Sundar Pichai, a Google vice president explained why the new Chrome OS-based netbook keyboards don't include the Caps Lock button at all:  to increase civility by reducing the electronic shouting that comes from writing in all caps¹.

As a former English major, I don't think I could give up on capital letters, but there certainly are days when I wish the Send button on my keyboard was missing.  Over the years, I've sent my share of e-mail bloopers.  For the most part, though, I am a particularly Mindful Sender when it comes to e-mails.  That trait, like most, is both a gift and a curse.  Students who want lightning fast responses from me are often disappointed, and my co-workers often have to listen to me complain about the full status of my inbox.  Right now, however, I'm thinking about the gifts of being a Mindful Sender. 

When I compose a message, especially one intended for a person I've never met, I'm very aware that the message really is me in a way. It creates the first impression the recipient has of me; it sets the tone for our future interactions; it illustrates my knowledge or competence. Much like a cover letter says a lot about the person behind it--a simple e-mail message can be revealing, too.   

Consider the following e-mail:

 

              From:                   karit@gmail.com

              To:                        Katelyn Perry (krp5@psu.edu)

              Subject:               Appointment--urgent!

 

              Hey, I just wanted to know when your walk-ins are.

              I really need to see you because I schedule tomorrow

              night, and I want to make sure I schedule the right classes. 

              Do I have to take STAT 200?

              Thanks!

              Kari

 

This e-mail is short and pretty straightforward, right?  But let's compare it to this message:

 

              From:                   Kari Thompson (ket8702@psu.edu)

              To:                        Katelyn Perry (krp5@psu.edu)

              Subject:               Question about STAT 200

 

              Hi, Katelyn:  I saw that you have walk-ins on Thursday from 1-4pm, and

              I wanted to let you know that I will be stopping by.  I can register for classes

              next week, and I'd like to talk about what I plan to take next semester.  I have

              a pretty good plan mapped out, but I'm not sure about STAT 200.  Do I have to

              take that class? 

             

              Thanks!  I'll see you on Thursday to talk about everything else.

           

              Kari

              90001111

              LERBA major

 

How many aspects of this second message are awesome in terms of what they reveal about the writer?  Let me count the ways...

 

1. The student used a more professional salutation in this message ("Hi, Katelyn,") which is much nicer than the original, "Hey."
2. The writer used her Penn State e-mail address AND she included her Penn State ID number.  For the adviser on the receiving end of this message, these two items are golden, as they make it possible to correctly identify the sender and to, therefore, appropriately assess her question.
3. Advisers' walk-in hours are listed in multiple places on-line.  The writer of this message clearly demonstrated her resourcefulness in taking the time to find that information. 
4. The student illustrated her time management skills in contacting her adviser a week before she needed to schedule courses.  Furthermore, her message includes a concise question about STAT 200 that can realistically be answered via e-mail.   
   

Admittedly, I don't analyze every e-mail message I receive.  But I can tell you that a message like the second one would stand out to me because of the sender's attention to detail, professionalism, and time management skills. 

Not long ago, a student and I met to talk about an offensive e-mail he sent--in a moment of frustration--to a professor.  The gist of it was that he wanted to add the instructor's course.  In his mind, having this course was an urgent matter.  He sent two inquiries to the instructor, and then when the instructor declined his request, he sent a third, angry message. 

The offended professor forwarded the student's message to his department head and to the advising center in his College to complain about the disrespectful tone of the e-mail.  One of the advisers in the group saw that eLion listed me as the student's adviser and contacted me about talking to the student.  By the time we met, over ten people had seen this message. 

In addition to being embarrassed, the student suffered some collateral damage in terms of his professional reputation because of this e-mail message. It's easy to think of your professional life as something that starts after you graduate when you have a job.  But that's a mistake.  Your professional identity is developing now.  Your decisions to apply to college and to attend Penn State are key aspects of your professional self.  Your choice of major and your co-curricular experiences are pieces of this puzzle as well.  Your interactions with others, how you handle yourself and your experiences at Penn State are also part of your professional development.

My advisee's offensive e-mail consisted of two sentences, but it spoke volumes about him. 

In your mind's eye, imagine how the student could have handled the situation and his e-mail exchanges with the instructor in a more positive, professional way.  He might not have gotten exactly what he wanted, but I'm sure he--and the instructor--would have felt much better about how everything played out.

Before you hit the "Send" button, think for a moment.  What do your e-mail messages say about you?  

¹Deiters, Steve.   "Google Enters Operating System Mark with Chrome Os."  ArticleSnatch.com, n.d. Web.  14 Feb. 2012.

This Valentine's Day, I fell in love with the sound of the conga.

"Heel-toe-slap, heel-heel-toe, over-over. Okay, ahora el mismo, uno, dos, tres, cuatro--"

Luis Conte's patient mix of English and Spanish conga instruction drifts from the studio adjacent to my office.

When I met Patricia Butler (class of '83) last fall to thank her for supporting the Paterno Fellows Program, I never dreamed that I'd soon be working for her in California. The joint generosity of Patricia, President of ArtistWorks, and the Penn State Liberal Arts Career Network has provided me the means and opportunity to work for ArtistWorks. It's an incredibly unique experience to be learning customer service and marketing hands-on while virtuoso percussionist Luis Conte records just feet away.

ArtistWorks, which uses "Video Exchange" technology, offers music lessons online for ten different instruments and thirteen different schools, each headed by a master musician of the specific instrument or genre. With such immense talent, it's easy to focus on the breadth of Conte's and the other teachers' experience and genius. This year alone, three ArtistWorks teachers received Grammy nominations. But beyond their virtuosity, the teachers provide an unparalleled level of availability and passion for teaching students of all levels to become better players.

Take Luis, for example. Two weeks ago he was in the ArtistWorks studio recording a staggering amount of lessons in both English and Spanish in order to reach as many percussion aficionados as possible. Hour after hour, I heard him introduce each exercise, slow his hands, then pick up speed.

I was a history major, not a music major. But Luis makes his craft learnable even to a percussion novice like me. So learnable, in fact, that I was inspired to sign up for conga lessons at the ArtistWorks Drum Academy via the upcoming Luis Conte School of Percussion. Luis will be available at any time by message, in the forums, and especially by "Video Exchanges." I'll watch his lesson, record myself playing, upload it to the site, and wait for Luis's video response. He's kind and encouraging, supportive and boisterous. I'll be able to watch his videos over and over. I'll also watch other students' Video Exchanges and learn from the advice Luis gives them. I, too, can start to play.

"Luis, when did you start learning conga and giving lessons?"

"Oh, I'm self-taught. When I was twenty, this lady just asked me if I could teach her the conga and I said sure! For $20 an hour, I needed the money, you know? And that was it."

He's so humble, joyful, patient, accessible. "Relax," he assures the student on the other end of the camera. Anyone can learn from Luis. He demonstrates warm-up exercises and tricks as well as meat-and-potatoes techniques. "You can go as fast as you want. This can go to the stratosphere, you know? And volume is also important. One, two, three, four...."

Yes, Luis is a conga genius. Now he can be your teacher. He gives you the tools to learn how the conga can be the salt and pepper of your jam session, the heartbeat of your day or life.

All you need is the desire to play.


Check out ArtistWorks on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube or follow me @lislotito.

I recently posted an entry referring to my experience in Dr. Sam Hunter's Leadership and Innovation Lab. This lab is categorized under a larger field known as Industrial/Organizational Psychology. I/O psychology is the study of human behavior in the workplace. In addition to an experiment relating to leader errors, I also participated in a research project in which all of the lab members worked to code books for leader errors. We searched through over one hundred biographies on political leaders for errors. Some of the leaders included Theodore Roosevelt, Lenin, and Mussolini. While it is no surprise to most people that political leaders make mistakes, it was interesting to discover how leaders make an error and ultimately react to that error. Viewing leader errors through two different channels has shown me the value of studying this occurrence.

In addition to the projects that we work on in the lab, the graduate students have also been especially encouraging in preparing us for graduate school and teaching us about the world of research. The graduate students read and revise personal statements and CVs of lab members several times each semester. For me personally, I was unsure of how to write a personal statement before entering the lab but with the help of a few graduate students, I now have a more professional personal statement. Furthermore, graduate lab coordinator, Lily Cushenbery, hosts a graduate school night every year for all psychology undergraduates to help prepare for the transition to graduate school. A PowerPoint of the presentation can be downloaded here. Also, two of the graduate students have been assisting me in starting my honors thesis project on identifying ways to make teams more creative.

Although I have only been in the lab for one semester, I feel that I have learned an extraordinary amount about I/O psychology and the importance of the field in a short period of time. My experience in the lab has fostered my interest even more and I look forward to working on more projects and an exciting future in I/O psychology beyond the lab. Although leadership and innovation still excite me as a much as the next person, I doubt that I will ever be able to view them in the same manner again. While all of us can enjoy the luxuries of a great leader or a groundbreaking innovation, there is much more to be discovered than meets the eye. Working in the Leadership and Innovation Lab has given me a fresh perspective on two prevalent concepts and has shown me the value of digging a little deeper for knowledge.

In the midst of this turbulent year for all of us at Penn State, one of the most prominent questions was how this terrible scandal would affect THON 2012. Not surprisingly, Penn State students worked harder than ever For The Kids. The record breaking total of $10,686,924.83 was beyond anyone's expectations. A similar story is true for the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council. An organization consisting of no more than thirty students, LAUC could not be more proud of the dedicated members who put in time and effort toward reaching our THON goals.

Thanks to the success of LAUC's THON 2011 efforts, the Council was rewarded with two guaranteed dancers for THON 2012. We were honored to have Rob Turchick and John Zang represent us for 46 hours on the floor of the BJC. They did an incredible job!

This year, the Council was able to organize a trip to Pittsburgh for the first canning weekend. Never before had we started out on such a strong note with over $1000 raised. Throughout the year LAUCers were enthusiastic to attend and participate in events such as the THON 5K, THON Dodgeball, and various THON sponsored fundraisers. Additionally, one of our initial goals was to improve upon our alternative fundraising. No Shave November was a hairy competition that provided entertainment and funds to add to our THON total. As a new idea, LAUC decided to plan a late-night bake sale where we sold everything from cupcakes to Oreo truffles. The sale was such a fun and successful night, with rehearsed slogans and dancing members, we decided to hold another one a few weeks later. Together the sales brought in $736.80. Our final canning trip to Philadelphia was a weekend full of Cranium battles, Bananagrams, generous donors and a grand total of $2,005.25.

With these extraordinary efforts, combined with THONvelopes and THONline fundraising, LAUC surpassed any goal we could have possibly imagined. We couldn't be more excited to announce that the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council's total for THON 2012 is... $9205.92!!!

Thanks for everything LAUC!

Your THON Chairs,


Katie Klonicki & Sarina Katz