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The following letter was published in the Saturday, December 8, 2012 edition of the Centre Daily Times.  It is shared here in its entirety.

To the Editors:

The faculty of the Latina/o Studies Program at Penn State would like to express their deep sadness about the recent pictures that have appeared on the web of members of the Nu Gamma chapter of Chi Omega sorority.  In them, Penn State students are dressed in mock Mexican attire and bear signs with offensive and stereotypical messages. We clearly condemn this type of behavior and expect the University and the Pan Hellenic council to review the matter carefully, and if necessary, take appropriate action.

The pictures speak for themselves.  They reveal deep ignorance, insensitivity, but worst of all a profound lack of thought about the implications of what these young people clearly thought was acceptable behavior. They probably assumed their actions were harmless good fun, and not meant to hurt anybody.  Perhaps they assumed this display would be seen only by themselves and would not be damaging to anybody else.

The students were wrong on both counts. What people do precisely when they are not thinking, and when they think no one else is watching, reveals deep truths about their true convictions, or worse yet, about their poverty: of knowledge, of maturity, of plain common sense.  We, the faculty of Latino/a Studies, have dedicated our careers to combatting this kind of thoughtlessness by teaching--the history, experience, culture and importance of Latinos, exactly the same hard-working people being mocked by these young women.  We are here to help and hope there are lessons to be learned, not only by these students, but all of the Penn State community and beyond, in this deeply troubling event.

--John Ochoa, Director of Latina/o Studies, on behalf of its faculty. 

LAUSDeanLong: Kasey, one of the things we talk about as a core value of the liberal arts is being open to diversity. This is different from tolerance, which is merely to put up with something that might otherwise be unpleasant. The liberal arts ideal involves more than that, it means to embrace diversity as an enriching part of our lives, as what gives human life texture and depth.

That is why the images we have seen of the Penn State students playing on the most insensitive and demeaning caricature of Mexicans is so disheartening. It reflects poorly on all of us and demonstrates that we are doing a poor job cultivating one of the central ideals of a liberal arts education. How are you and your fellow students thinking about and responding to this incident?

KaseyOK: I think that students are generally disappointed by this situation. While a divide seems to exist as to exactly how out of line the students' actions were, I think we have all acknowledged that the stereotypes that were highlighted were extremely offensive to us and to Mexicans. We simply wish the students had thought about the consequences of representing people of this culture in a degrading manner.

As you mentioned, in Liberal Arts we strongly value diversity and encourage all students to be open to and embrace people of other cultures. Personally, I do not believe this incident stemmed from hate; however I believe it did come out of a lack of these values which we have distinguished as being central to a liberal arts education. Looking ahead, I think we as individuals need to re-examine the way we incorporate diversity into our lives, and learn to do more than tolerate others, but to seek actively opportunities for growth through exposure to diversity.

LAUSDeanLong: You are probably right that the incident did not stem from overt hatred, but it did emerge from a culture of ignorance and xenophobia. It is probably easier to address overt hatred than it is to address more subtle and therefore perhaps more pernicious forms of racism and cultural ignorance. It is our responsibility as an institution of education to respond in ways that enable us to honestly examine and redress our own prejudices, even and especially when they are embedded in the institutional and cultural structures in which we live.

Another important dimension of this episode is the role social media played in exposing the incident. One aspect of social media that I find compelling is the way it can reveal something about ourselves to us as a community; often it reveals aspects of ourselves it is difficult to face. The public nature of social media is critical in this regard. Do you have the sense that students appreciate the extent to which their social media presence is, at heart, a way of appearing in public, with all the power and implications that involves?

KaseyOK: At this point in our lives (being in college, applying for jobs and other opportunities), I believe students are developing an awareness of this public face that social media provides. Students take steps such as altering Facebook names, creating multiple Twitter accounts, and blocking certain people from their social media platforms in order to maintain "privacy." 

Sam Richards and Laurie Mulvey, College of the Liberal Arts' faculty members and leaders of the World in Conversation project, facilitated "Emerging from the Storm: Continuing the Conversation" last Wednesday, September 12, 2012.  Lori Shontz from The Penn Stater, Penn State's alumni magazine, moderated the live online discussion. 

Approximately 200 participants joined the livestream chat, and discussion focused on some of the tough questions surrounding the recent scandal affecting the Penn State community.  Highlights from the event and a complete video can be found on The Penn Stater blog.

Today a group of over fifty faculty in the College of the Liberal Arts gathered to deliberate about how best to respond to the students we will encounter next week in our classrooms as we begin a new academic year in the wake of the sexual abuse scandal that has impacted our community.

As a new of era of change begins for Penn State, the many complicated and unsatisfying details of the Freeh report have unfolded and shocked students, faculty, and alumni alike. We hear outbursts of disgust from the media and the public, often directed at the wrong people, to pinpoint blame on the university as a whole and thus also on the student body for crimes committed by others. We know we are not responsible for the actions of a select few, but it is often very hard to communicate such distinctions to a person who only finds updates via social media or breaking news reports. In the few conversations I have had with people about the trial verdict and recent dismissals, the name Paterno rolls off everyone's tongue in a disappointing tone that renders it as though he committed the acts himself. It becomes obvious through the opinions of both Penn Staters and non-Penn Staters that the Paterno legacy today is different than it was just a short year ago. The connotations associated with his name are unsettling and undefined; some believe the name still stands for the value of hard work and ethical leadership while others believe that it stands for unchecked authority and moral failings. Places like Nike's Joe Paterno Child Development Center and Paternoville have already taken action in removing the name from their titles as a result. The statue has been taken down, the NCAA has imposed heavy sanctions on the Penn State football program, yet the University Library continues to bear the Paterno name. However, these changes are not of particular interest to me. What I am concerned with is the Paterno Fellows Program.

As a senior entering my final semester at Penn State, my concern is, understandably, I hope, self-interested. My worries center around my own future, and I question myself if the incidents of the past nine months will impact my ability to obtain interviews and ultimately a full-time position after I graduate. Up until the past few weeks, I have had the title "Paterno Fellow" on my resume right under The Pennsylvania State University, B.A. English and French, Schreyer Honors College, three elements of my student character that I say with pride. I hadn't realized until very recently that my association with the Paterno Fellows program could become something of an issue as I apply for full-time jobs this fall. Just the other day my mother texted me, "You should take Paterno Fellow off your [email] signature for a bit....Many will question it." As disturbed as I was by this comment, I believe it was sound advice. For now.

In removing Paterno Fellows from my resume and email signature, I felt torn between two feelings - fear and pride. I feared what potential employers might think when they see the "Paterno Fellow" line on my resume, but I am enormously proud of what I've accomplished through the program. One such achievement includes the research position I held this summer for a non-profit organization in New Canaan, Connecticut, called Voices of September 11th. I applied by writing a simple email inquiry with my resume attached back in December of 2011, asking if any internship positions were available for summer 2012. There was no cover letter or writing sample attached with it. This inquiry led to a phone interview with my current boss, Frank, in which we briefly discussed my involvement within several organizations on campus and previous job experience. His final question involved Paterno Fellows. "I see you are a Paterno Fellow here. That looks impressive. Mind telling me what that's all about?" Fifteen minutes later I was hired.

As Fellows, we know the quality of the program for which we have worked so hard throughout our college careers. For some students, myself included, gaining access to the Schreyer Honors College first became a real possibility because of the Paterno Fellows Program. In becoming a Scholar, I have set out to do exactly what the Paterno Fellows program encourages: to enrich my Penn State experience by integrating my classroom education with advanced external opportunities. My upper level honors courses in English and French have deepened my relationships with faculty in my departments. Studying abroad and declaring a second major - choices I made in order to become a Fellow - have influenced my education and character in ways I would never have imagined. I have received priority scheduling every semester since my acceptance so that I can register for classes that further my personal and professional goals. Even beyond the $4,500 I have received to date through the program to relieve out-of-pocket expenses for traveling and internships, my educational experience as a Fellow has made all the difference in my college career.

My apprehension about the title of the program is, again, fundamentally selfish. In any other context, most non-Penn Staters right now see the name Paterno and do not think of the values of discipline, hard work, ethical leadership and academic excellence for which the program was created. Will they do the same when I advertise to potential employers that I am a part of an academic program named after Joe Paterno?

I am also concerned about incoming classes and the freshmen and sophomores who are currently aspiring to be Fellows. Just the other day I had a friend question whether she should continue aspiring and whether or not it "was all worth it." I hope that she continues to pursue the Paterno Fellows program, because regardless of the title, the program sets Liberal Arts students up for success. It motivates us to do more and to want to do more during our time here. It makes us realize that the power of education can be multifaceted, and that enrichment of all kinds is most certainly accessible right here on campus. I only hope that the rest of the world gives students in the Paterno Liberal Arts Undergraduate Fellows Program a chance to explain that rather than flipping to the next resume as soon as they read the name Paterno.

For now, "Paterno Fellow" stays off my resume. I have made this choice because the current situation is so uncertain. The turmoil is ever-changing, unfortunately. I cannot predict what will happen this semester or by the end of this year, and I do not believe that I need to make a personal sacrifice and risk missing an opportunity because an opinionated recruiter reads that name and dismisses my education and my association with Penn State. I have acknowledged that unfortunately, those people do exist, and I will do my best to educate them and defend the education I received at Penn State. I can defend the Fellows program created for Liberal Arts students, but as wonderful as the program is, I cannot defend its current name.

This week's episode of Liberal Arts Voices features Manager of Alumni Relations Chris Gamble, Director of Digital Media and Pedagogy John Dolan, Dean Long, and three student mentees participating in the College of the Liberal Arts Alumni Mentoring Program.

Running in its eighth year, the Alumni Mentoring Program matches Penn State Liberal Arts alumni with current students in hopes of fostering meaningful relationships. With over 150 pairs, this program has been continuously growing since its foundation, and looks to expand even further in the future. The process of matching these mentor-mentee pairs is based upon compatible majors, interests, and goals. Once paired, mentees are encouraged to seek help with resumes, possible career paths, the development of job-searching skills, and most importantly growing their professional network.

The three students in attendance, Jim Thompson, Mike Bolze, and Rachel Miller, offered up their own experiences with the Mentor Program. For Jim, his Liberal Arts mentor confirmed his transition into the College of the Liberal Arts from the College of Engineering, while Mike's mentor's career path matched the one he has set for himself. And although Rachel's mentor did not graduate with the same major she is currently pursuing, he was nonetheless able to offer great job advice and networking connections. No matter the story, all say their experiences have been extremely helpful and undoubtedly rewarding.

If you are interested in learning more about the College of the Liberal Arts Alumni Mentor Program, please visit their website. Applications for the Alumni Mentor Program are now being accepted for Fall 2012. Students interested in applying can register online.

Liberal Arts Voices: Episode 39 "Alumni Mentor Program"

To subscribe to Liberal Arts Voice through iTunes, click here.

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

LAUSDeanLong: Over the past two years, I have been engaged in an ongoing dialogue about the culture of drinking at Penn State with the presidents of the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council. 

Paterno Fellow Kate Thompson joins us for episode 37 of our bi-weekly podcast Liberal Arts Voices.  In this episode, Kate talks about her study abroad experience last fall in Kenya and Tanzania. 

Kate discusses how this School Field Studies program in East Africa resounded with her academic interests in Biological Anthropology and Community Development.  The program focused on wildlife management and environmental policy.  Kate talks about her experience researching the impact of wildlife conservation on local African communities. Specifically, the research focused on how the alleviation of economic stress by the promotion of anti-poverty and social health programs might help to make conservation issues become realistic options for these communities. 

Kate also shares her experiences learning Swahili, performing field research in a variety of locations, participating in homestays, and blogging for Penn State's GeoBlog (if you are interested in reading more about Kate's experiences abroad, check out her blog). Kate explains how she feels fortunate to have been able to study abroad early in her College career because the experience gave her more direction regarding her academic pursuits.   

Lastly, Kate talks about her experience as a Paterno Fellow in the College of the Liberal Arts and how the program's enrichment funding enabled her to participate in this study abroad program.  More details about the Paterno Liberal Arts Undergraduate Fellows Program can be found online.

Liberal Arts Voices: Episode 37 " Kate Thompson's Study Abroad and Paterno Fellows Program Experience "

To subscribe to Liberal Arts Voices through iTunes, click here.

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 Liberal Arts Voices.

Episode 35 of Liberal Arts Voices is dedicated to undergraduate research opportunities and pre-law enrichment experiences. Multicultural Equity Programs Director Earl Merritt and undergraduate liberal arts students Carshena Culmer and Jason Bundy join this podcast to talk about a variety of enrichment programs.

Earl Merritt begins the program by discussing the ways in which he encourages students to take advantage of the variety of research and enrichment programs on and off campus.  He tells students to start their first year at Penn State with a plan.  For Earl, it is never too early to begin to think about how participating in an undergraduate research project or pre-law program can better prepare you for your future career. 

Psychology and Communication, Arts & Sciences double major Carshena Culmer talks about her participation in a pre-law program at Northern Illinois University through the Council on Legal Education Opportunities (CLEO).  At the pre-law program, Carshena received LSAT preparation, training from current law school students, and had the opportunity to network with faculty and professionals in the field.  Carshena discusses how participating in this program gave her confidence in her ability to succeed and inspired her to continue to pursue her goal of attending law school.  Carshena also explains how her PSYCH and CAS majors set her apart and gave her an advantage in the program.

Lastly, Jason Bundy reflects on his participation in the 2011 CIC Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP), which enabled him to perform his own research project under the supervision of faculty member Dr. David Puts. Jason explains how his interest in the patterns of human relationship formation eventually led him to study evolutionary biology and anthropology.  His summer research project focuses on how monotonicity of male voices impacts the listener in categories like attractiveness and physical dominance.  This research project gave Jason the opportunity to create a hypothesis, design a study, apply for IRB approval, run participants, and write an extensive research paper.  Jason talks about how his participation in this research experience will better prepare him for graduate school.

"Liberal Arts Voices: Episode 35 "Undergraduate Research and Pre-Law Opportunities"

To subscribe to Liberal Arts Voices through iTunes, click here.

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 Liberal Arts Voices.

In Episode 34 of the bi-weekly Liberal Arts Voices podcast, Associate Dean Long; Lecturers in Sociology Laurie Mulvey and Sam Richards; and Liberal Arts Undergraduate President Lauren Perrotti discuss the Penn State crisis.

Approximately two weeks after the release of the grand jury report on the Sandusky case, Dean Long, Laurie, Sam, and Lauren reflect on the recent events, how the campus has been impacted, and where the Penn State community can go from here. 

Laurie and Sam talk about student responses to these issues in their Sociology 119 class and their World in Conversation Project.  Lauren discusses her experiences talking about this crisis in her classes and addressing these issues as a student leader on campus.

The group reflects on the complex set of issues at hand and the variety of ways in which the Penn State community is experiencing them on individual and institutional levels. They discuss the importance of attentive listening, critical thinking, and respectful responses as the Penn State community processes and responds to this crisis.

Liberal Arts voices: Episode 34 "Talking Through the Penn State Crisis"

To subscribe to Liberal Arts Voices through iTunes, click here.

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 Liberal Arts Voices.

In episode 33 of the bi-weekly Liberal Arts Voices podcast, Kaitlyn Randol discusses her experience as an undergraduate student in the Paterno Fellows Program. 

Kaitlyn did not apply to the Schreyer Honors College in her initial application to Penn State. However, she talks about how the Paterno Fellows Program provided an excellent opportunity for her to perform her way into the Schreyer Honors College.  Kaitlyn explains some of the academic requirements involved in this program, as well as how it allows students to distinguish themselves in areas traditionally associated with the liberal arts: ethics, service, and leadership; excellence in communication; and international and intercultural awareness.

One of the requirements of the program is to complete a study abroad or internship experience.  Kaitlyn spends some time discussing her transformative year-long study abroad experience at the University of Oxford.  She talks about how she had to adjust to the different education model at Oxford, which is structured around a tutorial system where students meet with a faculty member (or tutor) throughout the semester instead attending traditional classes. Kaitlyn talks about how this writing and research intensive system prepared her for her senior research capstone project at Penn State.  Kaitlyn explains how her thesis, focusing on "Just War Theory" in modern theology, allows her to combine her majors in Religious Studies and Political Science, as well as her minor in Philosophy.

Liberal Arts Voices: Episode 33 "The Paterno Fellows Program Experience: Kaitlyn Randol"

To subscribe to Liberal Arts Voices through iTunes, click here.

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 Liberal Arts Voices.

Episode 32 of Liberal Arts Voices highlights the Excellence in Communication Certificate (ECC).

ECC Director and Lecturer in English Jessica O'Hara, ECC Adviser and Lecturer in Communication, Arts & Sciences Robin Kramer, English major Ryan Fisher, and English major and Paterno Fellow Genevieve Farrell join the program to discuss the Liberal Arts Excellence in Communication Certificate.

ECC Director Jessica O'Hara begins the podcast by explaining more about the Excellence in Communication Certificate, an e-portfolio liberal arts students design to demonstrate their proficiency in various types of communication. Students are able to draw from their experiences inside and outside the classroom to create this e-portfolio which can provide an effective way to articulate their skills and achievements to graduate schools, professional schools, and prospective employers.

ECC Adviser Robin Kramer talks about some of the specific components involved in the e-portfolio, including: examples of written discourse (i.e. essays, research papers, etc.); demonstration of success in oral communication (i.e. speeches, podcasts, etc.); and proficiency with electronic media (i.e. blog posts, visual design, etc.).

Ryan and Genevieve spend some time during the podcast discussing how the ECC has impacted their undergraduate experiences at Penn State. Ryan discusses how the digital components of his e-portfolio, including a blog he kept during his summer study abroad program in Ireland, helped him to cultivate the skill of public writing. Genevieve talks about how the assignments she completed for L A 101H (a course available to freshmen Paterno Fellows) laid the foundation for her e-portfolio, which she plans on using to fulfill the Paterno Fellows Program Communications Requirement.

Ryan and Genevieve discuss how their e-portfolios will function as electronic résumés that will better situate them for post-graduation plans. Both students also agree that the ECC provides an excellent opportunity to reflect on their undergraduate experiences at Penn State and to see how they have grown, developed, and ultimately emerged as more versatile communicators.

For more information about the Excellence in Communication Certificate listen to the podcast below and visit the ECC website.

Liberal Arts Voices: Episode 32 "The Excellence in Communication Certificate"

To subscribe to Liberal Arts Voices through iTunes, click here.

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 Liberal Arts Voices.

Economics major Anthony Antonik and Engineering Science major Daniel Slotcavage join Episode 31 of Liberal Arts Voices to discuss the Penn State Bike Share program.

Anthony and Daniel, president and vice-president of PSU Bike Share, talk about how they founded this not-for-profit student run organization during an honors leadership jumpstart program through Schreyer Honors College in which students were responsible for creating a service leadership project.

The students discuss their goal for PSU Bike Share: to bring a public bike sharing program to Penn State that will offer an efficient, environmentally-friendly, and health-promoting form of transportation to the students, faculty, and staff at University Park.

PSU Bike Share was initially developed as a pilot program to gauge the interest level on campus.  Anthony and Daniel describe how the program is currently functioning and how they would like to see the program develop and expand on campus.  Listen to Episode 31 of Liberal Arts Voices to find out how to sign up for the program, make donations (monetary or bicycles), and get involved in leadership opportunities within the organization. You can also visit the PSU Bike Share website for more information.

Liberal Arts Voices: Episode 31 "PSU Bike Share"

To subscribe to Liberal Arts Voices through iTunes, click here.

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 Liberal Arts Voices.

Several Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council (LAUC) members join us for a special Google + edition of our Liberal Arts Voices podcast.

For the first time, dedicated Liberal Arts Voices listeners can actually see what it is like behind the scenes of a recording session. Below, you can find the video footage recorded via a Google + "hang out" session. The Google + video hang out feature allows multiple users from different locations to talk online simultaneously.

In this episode, LAUC President Lauren Perrotti, LAUC Vice President Rob Turchick, and LAUC Secretary Matt Jewitt discuss LAUC's plans and schedule of events for this academic year. Labor Studies and Employment Relations lecturer Amy Dietz, ANTH and WMNST major Helen Geleskie, CLA Adviser Katelyn Perry, CLA Instructional Designer Cathy Holsing, ITS staff member Dan Getz, and CLA alumni and former LAUC President Sam Loewner also join the podcast via Google +. The group discusses a variety of topics including online education, technology in the classroom, and potential educational and professional uses for Google + video hang outs.

We would like to thank Media Commons staff members Ryan Wetzel and Dan Getz for making our Google + video hang out possible!

You can view the Google + video hangout below (as well as on our You Tube page).


You can also download the file here: Liberal Arts Voices: Episode 30 "The Google + Special"

To subscribe to Liberal Arts Voices through iTunes, click here.

More photos from our Google + special podcast episode can be found on our Flickr site.

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 Liberal Arts Voices.

In episode 29 of Liberal Arts Voices Susan Knell joins the program to discuss her new role as the Director of the Career Enrichment Network in the College of the Liberal Arts.

Susan Knell comes to the Liberal Arts most recently from Penn State's Eberly College of Science where she served as the Director of the Career and International Education Offices. Susan attended Penn State for both her undergraduate and graduate degrees. As an undergraduate, she majored in English and minored in Business and the Liberal Arts. She then went on to receive her secondary education certificate and Master's in Education, Counselor Education from Penn State as well. 

Dean Long and Susan spend the majority of the podcast discussing the motivations that led to the creation of the College's new Career Enrichment Network and the plans for its future. The Network will provide assistance to liberal arts students participating in local and international internships, education abroad programs, and research.  It will also focus on helping liberal arts undergraduates make a smooth transition from college to their careers.  

"The transformative gift given by Doug and Julie Rock to endow the Susan Welch Dean of the College of the Liberal Arts chair has enabled the College to move quickly to build the Career Enrichment Network. We are very lucky to have an experienced and creative leader in Susan Knell to head up this initiative. An education in the liberal arts has always been about empowering students to live a fulfilling life. Now more than ever, that goal involves helping our liberal arts students navigate the transition from college to the world of meaningful work."   

Episode 28 of Liberal Arts Voices is also our first podcast of the 2011-12 academic year.  To all our dedicated listeners out there, we are happy to say we're back!  What better way to start our season than with a thrilling conversation on a current hot topic: food ethics.

Brill Professor of Women's Studies, English, and Science Technology and Society Susan Squier and History major and Paterno Fellow Lisa Lotito join Liberal Arts Voices to discuss numerous issues at the center of contemporary food ethics debates.  This podcast was inspired by the recent event "Key Issues in Food Ethics: A Paterno Fellows Town Hall Forum" in which faculty members and first-year aspiring and admitted Paterno Fellows discussed similar topics.

Professor Squier, Dean Long, and Lisa continue the conversation on this episode of Liberal Arts Voices. They consider a variety of relevant topics and questions. What do people think of when they hear terms like organic, local, and sustainable?  Is there a disparity between expert knowledge in this field and beginners' understandings of these issues? What is our responsibility to the production and consumption of the food we eat?  How do personal, social and economic factors contribute to an ontology of ignorance? (You have to listen to the podcast to figure out what ontology of ignorance means). What do undergraduate students think about these issues and why?  How is or should Penn State be engaging with these issues?

If you are interested in these issues, make sure to check out the Rock Ethics Institute's 2011-12 Lecture Series on Food Ethics.  Distinct faculty members and specialists will be speaking on campus throughout the year on a variety of topics related to food ethics.  In the meantime, listen to Episode 28 of Liberal Arts Voices:

Liberal Arts Voices: Episode 28

To subscribe to Liberal Arts Voices through iTunes, click here.

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 Liberal Arts Voices.

By now you have deduced that this series of posts tackles the welfare of the liberal arts from many different perspectives. Rob Turchick introduced the conversation discussing the worthiness of the liberal arts - indeed, all of higher education - in today's society. Sam Loewner followed by broaching the subject of value associated with education. Today, I continue down our tendentious path of discussion, focusing on the great benefit the liberal arts adds to every sector of the professional marketplace. I hope to provoke some thought on how liberal arts advocates can enhance their promotion of the skills graduates acquire in the liberal arts. Ambitious, I know.

Liberal arts graduates are certainly not feckless. Admittedly biased, I genuinely believe the skills liberal arts students acquire in earning their degrees make them some of the sharpest, efficacious employees. As Sam so correctly pointed out, people do understand the value of a liberal arts student - great writer; strong ability to think critically; broad depth of knowledge; all-in-all a very well rounded package - but, they fail to understand how seamlessly said skills (and numerous others) fit into almost every area of the professional marketplace. From geology to banking and engineering to teaching, the skills acquired through liberal arts courses, majors, degrees, etc, are not just pertinent - they are unmistakably necessary.

For example, a banker in Pennsylvania serving on the Pennsylvania Bankers Association needs to have the ability to articulate the pros and cons of potential financial legislation winding its way through the PA Senate to colleagues and shareholders alike. Humanitarian engineers working in Northern Africa need to be able to understand the geo-political ramifications of current freedom movements and how those movements may impact the viability of building a medical clinic, while teaming with entrepreneurs to introduce mobile diagnostic applications on cellular phones. In short, the skills that students master in a liberal arts education are as salient today as they were when farmer and inventor Thomas Jefferson sat down and penned the Declaration of Independence.

I'm unabashedly proud of what the liberal arts can give students; however, I am not naive. The liberal arts as a wide ranging curriculum faces unprecedented challenge in today's world. Obstinately plugging away and sharing the message with folks who already believe in the liberal arts does little to solve our current problem. What mechanisms exist for liberal arts faculty, students, graduates, and believers to promote the utility of the liberal arts? Is there an efficacious way to concertedly promote the skills mastered in the liberal arts? I invite your thoughts on my thoughts and the questions I have posed.

Rob Turchick wrote recently about how some Americans are beginning to question the worthiness of a college experience. When he originally pointed out a TIME article on the topic to me, I tried to think of a way to put a value on an education. I sought a way to prove that college is worth it and that those people are just thinking about it in the wrong sense.

I attempted to characterize an education as a tool. In a vacuum, it doesn't mean much (a hammer just sitting on the table doesn't do anyone much good). In the hands of someone who wants to use it, though, it can be very powerful. When I proposed this idea to Rob, he responded (rightly, I think) that education has an intrinsic value. Being contemplative, being able (even if you do not do so all the time) to think critically, being exposed to a community of scholarship - these are valuable things, regardless of how a person uses them.

After considering those points, I have reached the conclusion that it's very difficult - perhaps impossible - to place a value on "an education." Colleges and Universities make an effort to, but they only measure their costs: a student pays enough money to make sure the sidewalks stay paved, the dorms stay heated, and the faculty are paid for their teaching and research. Schools charge students in that manner because it's impossible - in my opinion - to gauge the value of what a student will end up doing with the knowledge and understanding of the world that she accumulates while sitting in Economics or English classes.

Some people attempt to compare the starting salaries that graduates of a certain degree make. For example, we have information that will tell us what the average sociology major spends to receive a degree. We can also guess what his starting salary will be. Although this information may be useful, it does nothing to tell us how a student changed because he took a Sociology class and now understands more about the intrinsic divisions within his home city. And that understanding - broadly termed as "the liberal arts" - is what will allow him to infer and comprehend more things about different cities and populations throughout the world.

I anticipate that you will soon see a subsequent post from a colleague and friend of mine, fellow former LAUC President Geoff Halberstadt. Until then, though, I know that there are a wide variety of views on the value of an education (or how we can value it, if we must), so I will stop here and invite debate in the comments: do you feel that we can state a value for an education? How would you value your education? Would you consider tuition and fees an appropriate numerical representation of the knowledge you acquire while pursuing your degree?

My name is Rob Turchick, a rising senior studying English and Vice President of the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council. I write today what will be the first blog in a series of posts focused on the importance of higher education; more specifically, a liberal arts education. Recent budget cuts and (what seemed like a flurry of) disbanded majors, such as Religious Studies, have many questioning the value of the liberal arts, as well as the direction that higher education is taking. Through this series of posts, we will hear what members of Penn State's liberal arts community have to say.

At the close of the 2011 spring semester, Penn State's College of the Liberal Arts hosted a conference that served to highlight a crisis in the liberal arts, and to identify potential solutions. Personally, I think our outgoing LAUC President Geoff Halberstadt summed up the problem in question best in a blog post titled "Crisis in the Liberal Arts: Cynical Faculty":

"The problem I see lies in the turning away from a liberal arts education, and, to me at the very least, a repudiation of the values that education offers its students."

A liberal arts education instills in all of its students leadership, understanding, and ethics, and has been the foundation of higher education since its inception. It is becoming more apparent, especially now with constricting monetary limitations, that these qualities are being devalued by politicians and the public alike. A recent PEW study, "Is College Worth It?", reported that 57% of Americans believe that the higher education system in the U.S. fails to give students good value for the money that they dish out for college. Furthermore, the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices will have you believe that "preparing a state's work force for 21st-century jobs" will require the governors to wean colleges and universities from their "emphasis on broad liberal-arts education" (see Carol Schneider's article "Degrees for What Jobs?' Wrong Question, Wrong Answers" for more information). It seems to me that higher education as a whole is being criticized, and the liberal arts are sure to receive the heaviest critical blow.

This should be alarming to the entire nation, not just liberal arts students, teachers, or administrators. Liberal arts students consistently perform astronomically better than students in other areas of study in reading, writing, and analytical thinking. For some reason, these skills are being kicked to the curb in exchange for extremely narrow fields of study which have short term pay offs, but give students no real room to grow. The liberal arts provide the best avenue for personal growth and a better understanding of the world we live in, giving its students a foundation for success in any field of work. When did we begin thinking of education in terms of dollar signs and pay offs? A few other questions must be addressed, as well. How do the liberal arts contribute to society? Why does higher education have a bad name with the majority of the American public? How can we reverse these beliefs?

We are very fortunate to also be hearing from former LAUC President Sam Loewner in the very near future, who will offer his own insight into how we might measure the value of education. I implore everyone to follow along in a series of posts that will hopefully validate my belief that a liberal arts education is something to be celebrated and encourage.

I now invite everyone in the Penn State community to take part in this discussion. Please feel free to support or refute any ideas that I have put forth in the comments.

On April 8th, the Composition Program held its banquet for the Annual Pennsylvania High School Writing Contest. It's now in its 29th year! We recognized 20 students: 17 finalists and the top 3. The winner was Joy Wang, a student from Council Rock High School, South, which is in Holland, PA.

The essay question this year was on globalization and the Internet:

In "Global Village Idiocy,"New York Times journalist Thomas Friedman provides a relatively pessimistic view of how the Internet affects users, especially in an age of extended social relationships. Based on your personal experiences, what is your take on his arguments and on the global dimensions of the Internet? Do your experiences, views, and opinions align with those of Friedman? Have your experiences been more positive? If global networks are here to stay, and they appear to be, how might we use them for learning, community building, and other productive purposes? In your response, (1) describe and evaluate your experiences with the Internet and (2) explain how the Internet has assisted you in becoming a member of a more global community, or has failed to live up to its potential to do so. Use your personal experience with school, community service, and other programs to illustrate and support your points.

Below is a post Joyce has written for LAUS@PSU about the essay she wrote:

Hello everyone, guest blogger here. I'm Joy Wang, a junior at Council Rock High School South. And you may ask, with good reason, "Joy, why are you writing for the LAUS blog?" It's a long story that starts with an essay contest, of all things--the one that Penn State's composition department runs for high school juniors.

So on a frosty day in December, I was locked in a computer lab with two other juniors from my school and was told to agree, disagree, or qualify a prompt which included an article by the New York Times columnist, Thomas L. Friedman, that ran in 2002, titled "Global Village Idiocy." My essay, entitled "Information Overload: Skepticism and Social Organization in the Internet Era," was apparently sufficiently ingenious to catch some reader's eye for a reason I've yet to discern.

In any case, the thesis of Friedman's argument is this: That the internet, however convenient and accessible, has fundamentally become a force for polarization and misunderstanding rather than a catalyst for harmony and societal interaction. A bold claim, to be sure, but one that has some traction given the horror and blind stupidity of the dregs of internet forums and comment threads. (For a particularly telling cross-section of these internet denizens, I recommend the comment section on CNN.)

The luxury of near-complete anonymity, Friedman argues, has brought out the virulent haters, the extremists, the fringe elements of our society who would have otherwise remained isolated, quarantined from the rest of the world by the analog divide. And this is not untrue--but it's only half of the story.

Episode 27 of Liberal Arts Voices is our "Commencement Special." Outgoing Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council (LAUC) President Geoff Halberstadt and outgoing LAUC Vice President Amanda Craig join the program to discuss their undergraduate experiences in the College of the Liberal Arts as they prepare to graduate this upcoming Saturday (May 14, 2011).

This year, Amanda will be serving as the Sociology Department Marshal. In this podcast, Amanda and Geoff share their fondest memories of their time here at Penn State. They discuss their tenure in LAUC, the internships in which they participated, their most memorable classes, etc. Both graduating seniors talk about how their educational experiences in the College of the Liberal Arts were shaped by the relationships they made with fellow students, advisers, faculty and staff. 

The Liberal Arts Undergraduate Studies Office would like to thank Amanda and Geoff, and the other graduating members of LAUC for their dedication to the College and specifically to our unit's social media initiative. We hope that CLA graduating seniors listen to this episode of Liberal Arts Voices and share some of your favorite Penn State memories!

For more information regarding the Spring 2011 College of the Liberal Arts Commencement Ceremony, please visit our website.  Best of luck to all graduating liberal arts majors and remember that you can keep in touch with the College of the Liberal Arts by subscribing to our blog, becoming our fan on Facebook, and following us on Twitter.

Liberal Arts Voices: Episode 27

To subscribe to Liberal Arts Voices through iTunes, click here.

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 Liberal Arts Voices.

I hope that finals treated everyone well. For the seniors who are graduating: Congratulations! It's a great accomplishment. I hope that you remain involved in Penn State and work to give back some way to the undergraduates who are remaining and who have yet to enroll.

This issue of Dispatch from the Other Side is aimed at the students who have some more classes left at Penn State. If you're planning on more classes over the summer or if you have a few years left ahead of you, I hope you can learn from some of my "classmates." I recently ran across some information from a survey of recent graduates (all different types of universities and colleges throughout the country) that I thought might be useful. The survey attempted to measure the biggest (professional-related) regrets that recent graduates have regarding their time in school. I'm going to throw out a few of the numbers and a little bit of my analysis.

Over a quarter of the students surveyed said that they wish they had networked more prior to graduation. 18% of them said that they wish they had done more internships. I think that these two numbers illustrate the importance of taking a step back and learning about your surroundings. I wrote a while ago about leveraging connections at Penn State, and I think this data indicates that students wish they did more of that. At Penn State, you have some remarkable opportunities for networking and internships: just look at the alumni base around you and the wide array of internship/co-op assistance available to you.

26% of recent graduates wish they had applied to more jobs when they were in school. 26% also said they wish they'd started their job searches sooner. 12% said they wish they had spent more time on their application materials. These data seem to indicate that planning is critical. Getting an early start thinking about the kind of jobs you want to apply for and then identifying potential application opportunities (I recommend using the Nittany Lion Career Network for at least a glimpse at the variety that you have). If you start earlier, you'll be able to apply for more jobs with greater depth and sophistication. Employers can tell if you spent a few days on the application materials or a few minutes. If you are graduating in May 2012, there are plenty of employers who would like to take your application in November 2011 and interview you sometime over the winter.

14% of students say they would have changed their major. 8% think they should have gone directly to graduate school. What these statistics tell me is that students really must take the time to think about what academic opportunities are right for them. If you are in the College of the Liberal Arts, you have an incredible selection of majors and an excellent set of advisors that can help you figure out what programs are right for you. You may decide to add a major outside of the College too - whatever you choose, just remember to think through your major(s) and how you want to structure your education. You will be glad that you put the thought into it. Consult with professors, advisors, and other members of your personal community to get as much information as possible.

What do you think of the numbers: do you think that they represent recent graduated you know? What kind of work have you done to put yourself in a better position and have fewer regrets once you graduate? If you have any questions, feel free to put them in the comments. And if you have a topic for me to write about in the future, I'm always open for suggestions in the comments or on Twitter.

Agora, the liberal arts publication written for and by students, just released its final issue of the 2010/11 academic year. The publication, started in Fall 2009, has garnered significant attention at Penn State and is indeed becoming one of the most unique and prominent student publications. With the upcoming 2011/12 academic year, Agora will be getting its second president and vice president and an entirely new executive staff as many of the founding members graduate and move on from Penn State next month. Alex Lipton, who served as Agora's philosophy department head, and Liz Crossen, Agora's new president for the upcoming year, reflect on the meaning of Agora in their undergraduate careers, and envision the future of the publication.

Alex Lipton:

The liberal arts have a very strong emphasis on creative writing, reading comprehension, and analysis. These are essential skills, and it's important that students cultivate these during their college years. During college, many people just try to learn the facts to do well on an exam. Statistically speaking, these facts are not retained for very long - they are often "in one ear and out the other." Contrarily, improving ones' skill in creative writing, reading comprehension, and analysis is a lifelong and on-going endeavor. It requires dedication, perseverance, and attention to detail. The payoff is that these skills, unlike the facts learned for a particular test, transcend a single discipline and are universal in their nature and applicability.

Indeed, a liberal arts education cultivates skills that will stay with the individual throughout their life. Agora has proved itself to be a creative, engaging, and inspiring means for students to further cultivate these skills. Agora has shaped my experience in particular by providing an outlet for my creativity. I believe that while a college education can take you to the door, you have to make yourself walk through it in some way. College should be the time in ones' life when one grows profoundly as an individual and realizes their talents and strengths.

To this end, Agora has been a way for me to channel what I've learned as a student of the liberal arts. As Agora's philosophy editor, I've tried to present interesting and diverse material to Penn State. Though relatively young, Agora is already Penn State's premier student magazine. Moreover, Agora's philosophy department is the newest part of this relatively new magazine. The philosophy department has expanded and grown, much like Agora - in an astonishingly short amount of time. Philosophy is logic, it is reasoning, it is thought, and it is everywhere. Philosophy is immensely important, for it is ultimately thoughts and ideas that have the power to progress or regress a society. For this reason I encourage all students to submit his or her written works to Agora for consideration. Though I'm graduating, I'm looking forward to the seeing the bright future that both Agora and its' philosophy department will enjoy.

Liz Crossen:

I became involved with Agora in early 2010 when its first issue was being released. I was so impressed by the intelligence, innovative, and fresh ideas that were being produced by this group of students, the vast majority undergraduates. I think in many ways, Agora renewed my faith in the significance of undergraduate thought and work. I am a student focusing on three disciplines in the Liberal Arts: Sociology, Women's Studies, and African American Studies. In these disciplines, I am required to read, write, and utilize critical thinking skills constantly. I believe all of these things are so necessary and yet, under encouraged and too rarely taught or embraced during the undergraduate years. This is where I found Agora so refreshing - it is the praxis of the liberal arts and it upholds my strong belief that the work produced by undergraduate students is inherently scholarly and academic. This publication has come to define my time as an undergraduate at Penn State. It is my intellectual outlet, it is where I have met some of my dearest friends, and it is the embodiment of what I believe higher education to be about: the sharing of ideas, the honing of skills, and the spread of intellectualism.

This upcoming academic year, I have the incredible privilege and responsibility of becoming the second president of Agora. The first two years of this publication have proved to be incredibly successful, as we have built our reputation of excellent writing and the promotion of free thought. It is in this spirit, that new vice president Rob Turchick and myself, along with the rest of our highly talented new executive board, will continue to produce this publication with creativity, passion, and dedication to make Agora even better and to ensure its long legacy at Penn State. I highly encourage all who are interested to come and write for Agora. It truly has become a transformative experience for myself and the brilliant young minds that fuel this publication. Indeed Agora lends depth not only to our experience at Penn State, but to the thought it provokes among this university's community who is reading it, discussing it, contacting us. In doing so, the community at Penn State can be engaged in a deeper, more meaningful discourse that is such a part of what higher education is all about.

John Dolan, College of the Liberal Arts Director of Digital Media and Pedagogy, and Geoff Halberstadt, Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council President join Dean Long for episode 26 of Liberal Arts Voices.

In this episode, the group discusses their recent presentation at the 2011 Teaching and Learning with Technology Symposium. Dean Long, John, Geoff, and Jillian collaborated on a panel session titled "Engagement and Community in the College of the Liberal Arts" at this year's TLT Symposium. 

In this podcast, the group discusses many of the themes incorporated in their presentation. Specifically, they talk about the ways in which the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Studies office is attempting to use social media to cultivate a community of education. They speak about how their technology initiatives are rooted in the educational mission of the University and the College. They discuss the strategies and tactics they are using with digital and social media in hopes of empowering students, faculty and staff to give voice to their educational experiences. Geoff also spends some time discussing how social media has impacted the dynamics of the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council.

For more information about the 2011 TLT Symposium, visit their website. 

Liberal Arts Voices: Episode 26

In the spring of 2004, four Harvard sophomores, led by Mark Zuckerberg, set out to move the college experience online. The result of their efforts, the social-networking website Facebook, which launched on February 4, 2004, has achieved just that, extending the social experiences of college online. Students can--and do--add people they meet in class, outside of class, campus club-mates, and potential love interests to their online friends list. We can "like" each others' comments, tag ourselves in images, and we always know when some event is going on, whether it be a party around campus, upcoming tests, or even world events. Facebook has revolutionized the ways in which we communicate with our peers. In the social sense, Facebook has placed the college experience online--but remember, the "social" aspect is only half. 

On Thursday, February 3, 2011, English 30 students under the tutelage of Diana Gruendler took the first step in completing the process. As part of the Sony Reader: New Frontiers in Reading research project, Gruendler's undergraduate TAs launched Lector: A Virtual Book Club, a website devoted to expanding the classroom experience to the internet. In the New Frontiers in Reading research project, students have been exposed to Sony Readers in order to gauge the readers' compatibility with the classroom atmosphere. In the past, the research group has run classes using the same syllabus, one a "control" class using regular, codex books, and the other an "experimental" class, in which the students had to use the readers. Now we're taking that one step further, by incorporating a medium natural to an electronic device, a website, and opening the invitation for others outside of the project that have eReaders to participate. Lector takes its name from the Latin word "lector," which referred to a reader in ancient times, one whose job it was to read from texts in public forums, when literacy wasn't common. It's a play on the fact that we call devices such as the Sony Reader, Kindle, and Nook "eReaders" and not "eBooks" -- because they display the text of eBooks (strings of code), and sometimes can actually read to us.

In my last post, I spent time writing about some of the intangible connections you could make that might lead to tangible opportunities if you decide to look for work after graduation instead of going to graduate or professional school. I thought I'd spend some time in this post focusing on a more tangible part of the graduation and job search process: resumes (and cover letters).

There is a wealth of information on the internet for resumes, and I'm sure that if you're interested in what I'm writing about, you've probably already seen those resources. Since I don't think it will do anyone any good to simply re-post instructions or good examples that you can find elsewhere, I just plan to share some experiences and tips that I've gathered from friends and colleagues on resumes and cover letters.

Resumes:

• Keep it short. This is advice that you hear all over the place. Everyone from recruiting managers to salespeople will tell you that a one page resume is best. If you're crafting a CV for academic reasons, that's a different (and longer) story, but for the average job applicant: one page is best.

• Use the resume to tell a story. If you are applying for jobs where you'll be asked about your writing skills, highlight experiences you've had where you needed to write. It might be more important to note your role as a volunteer blogger than your role as a life guard, even if you only consider the life guarding position as a "job." The people looking at your resumes aren't interested in what your tax history is: they care what skills you have. Use past positions to highlight those.

• Be precise. In nearly every field, it's an "employer's market." They'll have more applicants than they have space for. Everyone's resume is going to be on that hiring manager's desk: make sure yours stands out. I don't mean to use an elaborate border (in fact, I'd urge against things like that), but to make sure that your resume is an accurate reflection of your training and experience. If your resume hits all the key points, he or she will call you, because it means that you have the key things the company is looking for.

Cover Letters:

• Don't be generic. Remember those college essays you had to write? Admissions officers don't like reading the same thing over and over again, and neither do recruiters or managers. If you apply for a job at UPS and a job at Bank of America, you should have two different cover letters. Again: know your audience (to the best of your ability) and write for it.

• Illustrate who you are. Don't submit a cover letter just because you are required to. Think of all the things you want to tell the person reviewing the resumes but can't fit on your resume. Use your cover letter for all those things. Applying for a job with Turkey Hill? There's no place on your resume (or at least I can't think of one!) where you could share how well you think your particular skill set will fit with their business model. Do that in the cover letter. Or maybe you don't have a required experience on your resume but you still think you'd be great for the job. Find a way to explain that in the letter.

• Be careful! If you're writing a lot of cover letters, do yourself a favor and read them twice before submitting them. Spelling errors, grammatical mistakes, incorrect dates or names: these are all easy ways for your resume to get tossed aside. Don't let them happen!

Do you have questions that I didn't address? Are you looking for additional resources on resumes and cover letters? Let me know in the comments! If anyone else would like to offer advice that I didn't get to, I'm sure our readers would love to see that in the comments too.

In this episode of Liberal Arts Voices, CLA Internship Coordinator Ashley Neff and Career Services Counselor and Liberal Arts Liaison Kristi Van Epps join the program to discuss internship and career opportunities for liberal arts undergraduates.

This podcast was actually recorded on Ashley's last day here at the College of the Liberal Arts.  Ashley recently accepted a new position as Assistant Director for Internships at Davidson College. We wanted to have Ashley on the program before she left Penn State to discuss and recognize the many internship and career initiatives that she spearheaded during her time in the College of the Liberal Arts. Ashley and Kristi discuss the many ways that the College of the Liberal Arts and Career Services have collaborated to provide more opportunities for liberal arts undergrads. They discuss the variety of presentations they co-hosted, the internship postings on which they collaborated, and their success in promoting larger scale events like this year's People-to-People Career Fair (check out the blog post Ashley wrote about the People-to-People Career Fair). 

Dean Long speaks with Ashley and Kristi about specific skills, like excellent written and verbal communication; the ability to think critically; and an aptitude in research that uniquely prepare liberal arts undergraduates for a variety of potential careers. Dean Long discusses how the College hopes to increase its footprint in career education by providing more assistance to liberal arts undergraduates within these internship and career fields.  

Liberal Arts Voices: Episode 25

To subscribe to Liberal Arts Voices through iTunes, click here.

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 Liberal Arts Voices.

Visit the College of the Liberal Arts internship website and the Career Services website to find out more information.

In episode 24 of Liberal Arts Voices, International Politics and Sociology major Ruth Canagarajah joins the program to discuss her service leadership initiative Paalam.

Ruth begins the podcast by discussing her philosophy behind the Paalam project. She explains how the Paalam project works in collaboration with an NGO called SJC 87, a scholarship program for children in Sri Lanka, to provide Sri Lankan youth with an opportunity to write and perform their own plays. Ruth talks about how the Paalam project uses art, and specifically playwriting and theatre, as a medium through which Sri Lankan youth can communicate and reflect on their experiences. Classes in Sri Lanka participate in a playwriting competition where the winning groups have their plays performed at Penn State.

Towards the end of the podcast, Dean Long congratulates Ruth for winning one of the 2011 Rock Ethics Institute Stand Up Award. The annual Stand Up Award is given to students who have demonstrated a proficiency in ethical leadership. 

Liberal Arts Voices: Episode 24

To subscribe to Liberal Arts Voices through iTunes, click here.

You can visit the Paalam project website to find out more or to get involved. Also, make sure to check out the Paalam video on the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Studies You Tube Page.


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 Liberal Arts Voices.

Now that we're about a month away from Spring Career Days, I thought I'd contribute with some thoughts on the career fairs.

When it comes to career services, I think Penn State's efforts are exceptional. I still recall touring schools back when I was in high school, and I was surprised by how much emphasis my Penn State tour guide put on the career services program for students (and alumni!). It's a pretty unique feature, and one that Penn State is - and should be - proud of. Each Fall and Spring, the career services folks host a huge career fair with employers from many different industries. The fair is designed to appeal to underclass students looking for internships and seniors looking for full time positions, although not every employer will be looking for both. To get the most out of these events, I recommend taking the following basic steps:

• Think about what types of employers you want to talk to. If you don't have any interest in talking to a Marketing Research firm, then there's no need to stop by that booth.

• Do your homework: find out what employers will be attending, and make a list of some you definitely want to find. You probably won't have time to see all the employers, so making a list that has the ones you definitely want to see can make your life less stressful.

• Create a great looking resume. Then run it by someone else. Then take it to career services to have one of their professionals look over it (tip: check out "Resumania" on February 11). I don't believe there can ever be a perfect resume, but with work you can make one that will cause you to stand out from the pack. There will be an upcoming post on resumes and cover letters, so keep your eyes open for that.
  

• Prepare a short pitch about yourself. It can be pretty nerve-wracking to just walk up to a potential employer and start talking. If you have a prepared set of ideas to go over (don't sound mechanical, but don't go in without any plan), it will be easier to talk. Questions are important too - employers are usually happy to hear prospects asking specific questions about the firms and roles available. 

• Schedule enough time to stay and walk around a little bit. The BJC is far away from many class buildings on campus, so make sure you factor in time to get there and back and make sure that you're not rushed while you're in there. The amount of time you will need depends on how many employers you intend to see.

My biggest tip of all would be: don't let the career fairs distract you from other ways of meeting employers. The fairs are where many students go to meet many different employers - and sometimes, it's easy for both sides to think that events like that are enough. But the smaller, less hectic options are great to explore, and some of them are cosponsored by the College. For example, you should check out the People-to-People Fair being planned for February.

I'm sure I'll mention the career fairs again, but if you have specific questions, don't hesitate to contact me. Questions in the comments section can be about the career fairs or any other topic, and you may always reach out to me on Twitter as well. If you have a topic you want me to write about next time, I'm happy to hear about it.

Hello, LAUS community! Some long-time readers might remember me from entries on this blog last spring, and some newer readers might recognize my name from the comments section from time to time. For readers that don't know me, I'm a May 2010 graduate, the former President of the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council, and deeply interested in Penn State's present and future.

When I was a student in my last three or four semesters, I remember thinking about how much I wanted to know what to do next. I knew what I needed to do as a student to graduate, and I had spoken with alumni and professionals that gave suggestions for how to behave once I was settled into a workplace world. But what about the time bridging those two periods in my life? What should I do to position myself to find a job I wanted while I was still in school so I wouldn't have to worry during and after graduation? What do entry level positions look like, and how can I find them?  What things - good or bad - are potential employers going to look for from my time at Penn State? Though your questions might be different, I think everyone has some questions - especially in the College of the Liberal Arts, where we're trained to ask things and think about our future selves and communities.

Now that I'm in a position to answer some of those questions (or attempt to answer, at least), I wanted to "rejoin" the LAUS online community and try to provide insight that I think only very recent alumni can. I consider this sort of an introductory entry and, if the good staff of Liberal Arts Undergraduate Studies is willing to put up with me, I hope to contribute regularly - I hope that you aren't shy with your questions.

I accepted an offer before I graduated and started in June. I work in the political world in Washington, DC, but I'm far from a political operative (no, I'm not one of the people they quote anonymously on politico.com). I do technical and social media work for a non-profit organization that works with political campaigns. I had a very wide range of exposure to different opportunities, and I think I can answer general and specific questions. If anyone is after unique information that I don't have, I bet I can find the answer from friends that graduated with different degrees and career plans.

I view this as an opportunity to create a back-and-forth style community through the blog. I am easily reachable on Twitter (@smloewner) and the comments section. You may also email me at sam.loewner@gmail.com.  Once you find a way to get questions to me, I'll try to answer them specifically and then, if you don't mind, I can compile some of them together and generate a post out of it.

Even in just the past year or so, I've seen many of the "moving parts" of the life-just-after-graduation world. There's job-searching, networking, resumes, cover letters, internships, relocating to different cities, career research, and much more. I think we can take questions on any of those topics.  

So, Penn Staters, what's first?

This is the last special episode of Liberal Arts Voices for the fall 2010 semester featuring this year's Penn State Laureate, poet and Professor of English and Womens' Studies, Robin Becker. Throughout the year, Liberal Arts Voices will be collaborating with Penn State Live to cover the poems and work of Professor Becker.

In this podcast Professor Becker joins Dean Long; CLA Enrichment Coordinator and PSU English alum, Ashley Tarbet; English major Natalie Kovak; and English grad student William Woolfit to discuss Professor Becker's poem "The Poconos."  You can read the full version of "The Poconos" on Penn State Live.

The group discusses a variety of themes in the poem including: the legacy of Native American tribes in Pennsylvania; the individual's transition from childhood to adulthood; and notions of identity and autonomy. Professor Becker also spends some time sharing how she makes formal decisions in her poems. For instance, she talks about how the shorter lines in this poem affect its structure and the way it is read.

We invite you to respond to this poem or to the question that Professor asks at the conclusion of her poem:  Do you recall a time when your desire to "fit in" competed with your desire to maintain or exhibit your individuality? If so, what choices did you make and why?

Liberal Arts Voices: Robin Becker's "The Poconos"

To subscribe to Liberal Arts Voices through iTunes, click here.

To watch a video of Professor Becker reading this poem or to read the actual poem, visit Penn State Live.

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 Liberal Arts Voices.

In episode 15 of our bi-weekly podcast, Liberal Arts Voices, International Politics major Nicole Zinni and CLA Study Abroad Coordinator Dr. Jennifer Wagner-Lawlor join the program to discuss education abroad.

Nicole talks about her experience studying abroad last spring in Istanbul, Turkey. She mentions some of the challenges of studying abroad: adjusting to a new culture, eating new foods, learning a new language. But Nicole reflects on how the challenging aspects of studying abroad also often help to make the experience rewarding. She is thankful that she was open to a variety of new experiences because in return she gained a more global perspective and a greater sense of independence. Nicole also takes some time to mention how blogging about her education abroad program gave her the opportunity to further reflect on her experiences and to share them with others. Make sure to check out Nicole's blog for more details about her trip to Turkey.

Dr. Jennifer Wagner-Lawlor points out a variety of helpful resources liberal arts undergraduates should consult as they think about studying abroad. She points out that the "Education Abroad" section of the LAUS website has recently been redesigned to provide the most pertinent resources for CLA undergrads. In addition, make sure to check our LAUS Announcements blog for upcoming Education Abroad Info Sessions. You can also visit our "The Education Abroad Experience" blog to hear from your fellow undergrads currently studying abroad.

Liberal Arts Voices: Episode 15

To subscribe to Liberal Arts Voices through iTunes, click here.

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 Liberal Arts Voices.

This is the second of several special episodes of Liberal Arts Voices featuring this year's Penn State Laureate, poet and Professor of English and Womens' Studies, Robin Becker. Throughout the fall semester, Liberal Arts Voices will be collaborating with Penn State Live to cover the poems and work of Professor Becker.

In this podcast Robin Becker joins Dean Long; CLA Enrichment Coordinator and PSU English alum, Ashley Tarbet; English major Natalie Kovak; and English grad student William Woolfit to discuss Professor Becker's poem "The Problem of Magnification." You can read the full version of "The Problem of Magnification" on Penn State Live.

Professor Becker begins by describing how her role as a teacher helped to inspire this poem. Specifically, she wanted to capture an unexpected moment of role reversal when a student becomes the teacher and vice versa. She wanted to explore the kind of broadening of perspectives and the interesting subjects that result from these interactions between students and teachers.

We invite you to respond to this poem or to the question that Professor Becker asks at the end of her poem: Role-reversals sometimes yield interesting material. Under what conditions might you imagine reversing roles?

Liberal Arts Voices: Robin Becker's "The Problem of Magnification"

To subscribe to Liberal Arts Voices through iTunes, click here.

To watch a video of Professor Becker reading this poem or to read more about it, visit Penn State Live.

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 Liberal Arts Voices.

Associate Dean Long, Ashley Tarbet, and Jillian Balay led the workshop.  The presenters talked about the ways that LAUS is currently making use of social media.  They discussed the LAUS blogs, Facebook page, Twitter accounts, Flickr account, and You Tube channel.  The presenters emphasized that the overall goal of LAUS' new social media initiative is to build a community around the undergraduate experience in the College of the Liberal Arts at Penn State.

Take a look at a screencast of the Invitation to Participation Prezi below:


The workshop participants had the opportunity to brainstorm ways that their departments or units could also begin using social media technology. Several Liberal Arts staff members thought that creating departmental Facebook pages would be a good way to begin to build an on-line community.  Others thought that Flickr pages would allow their units to draw attention to certain events by posting pictures in a more public domain.   

The workshop was a great way to bring Liberal Arts staff together to begin talking about ways that all Liberal Arts departments can use social media to build an even stronger community.

Take a look at some pictures from the workshop:

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.

Tomorrow I am meeting with a group of Penn State alums to talk about about how we at the College of the Liberal Arts are using social media technology to enrich the liberal arts education of our students.

The main point of the presentation is to illustrate how technology can be used to reinforce the traditional virtues of the liberal arts: ethical imagination, excellence in communication, professional leadership, global perspectives and an openness to diversity. 



We have received written comments on the initial YouTube video, and via email from some of the alums with whom we shared the video prior to our meeting.  I have gathered some of these comments below.

It is striking that when the conversation is opened to the public by social media, the modes by which people respond is so varied: video, written comments, emails and even tweets (thanks @jeffswain). On one hand, it is difficult to follow a coherent thread of the conversation unless someone gathers them together - as I have tried to do here.  On the other hand, the variety of different modes of response and the different ways the ideas in this diverse conversation are shared adds a dimension to the conversation that extends beyond what might have happened had we limited ourselves to written or in person communication.

What does this teach us about the power and the limits of social media technology?  How are we to best prepare students and ourselves not only to live in, but more importantly to thrive in a world of such dynamic and variegated communication?

Response gathered from emails from alums

David Eltringham linked to three videos here:

After seeing the headlines from the Collegian about PSU Deans "warning" students about Saturday's State Patty's Day, I thought that it might be a good idea to tweet Sam Loewner, President of the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council and an officer from University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA), so we might engage in a discussion about the celebration.  Below is the beginning of our discussion, which we hope will continue in the comments here and elsewhere in the Penn State online and in-person community.

Dean Long: How are students responding to the comments reported in the Collegian and on Onward State in which Deans and other officials are attempting to address the issues around State Patty's Day?

Sam: I think the students are responding in a defensive manner.  The messages from the University range from "Don't drink" to "if you do drink, there will be serious consequences."

Dean Long: How could we enter into a discussion about the important concerns regarding responsible drinking in a productive way?  Specifically, I am interested in the possibility of a deeper dialogue about undergraduate drinking without falling into a paternalistic mode that often provokes the sort of defensiveness you mention.

Sam: Students are already taking a proactive and responsible approach. The UPUA sponsored a full page ad reminding students to make responsible decisions. The Greek governing bodies took actions that limit the roles that sororities and fraternities will play over the weekend. But let's not forget that State Patty's Day was established as a way to bring the Penn State community together.

Dean Long: I think that is an important reminder.  In talking to Meghan White, a 2006 CLA graduate working now at Allegheny College, I was struck by her suggestion that "the event attracts alums as well and it should be noted that it is up to alums to set a positive example to undergraduates about how to celebrate the spirit of Penn State in a responsible way." I think it is important to emphasize the role alums play in this and the fact that it is in some degree a celebration of the Penn State community.

The issue is, can the community respond in a thoughtful and mature way to the real problems that the event can generate?

Sam: The kind of discussion we are having here might serve as a way to begin such a response. Since this is an event based around the Penn State community, I think we can mitigate some of the problems by making sure we are looking out for one another, as I think many of the concerns center around the question of safety.

Dean Long and Sam: How will you look out for your fellow community members this weekend?  What should the University response to State Patty's Day be? How can faculty, students, administrators, and alums work together to address the complex set of issues that stem from the State Patty's Day phenomenon?

This seems to us to be a good opportunity to open a deeper dialogue about these issues and we hope that you will join in the discussion here. 

For those Twitterers, let's use the #StatePatty hash tag.

This post invites responses, video and otherwise, about how your education has shaped who you are.  Please join the discussion by commenting or posting a video of your own.

In the video I talk briefly about the impact my study abroad experience in Vienna, Austria in 1989 had on me.  I then ask you how your education changed who you are.

One of the highlights of the Fall 2009 semester was the celebration of 100 years of Liberal Arts education at Penn State.

Edwin Erle Sparks, the 8th President of Penn State, established the College of the Liberal Arts in 1909 by bringing art and mathematics together with the School of Language and Literature and the School of History and Political Science. (For more on our history, see the CLA website.)