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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"

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Each academic year a multitude of students venture into higher education. As the Multicultural Equity Programs Director for the College of the Liberal Arts, I have the opportunity to work with a variety of undergraduates. Often students wonder how they will fit in this new milieu and what is expected of them. Every student must sort through their wish list to identify the path they will follow. Being inquisitive is a starting point for continuing your success. "Success is peace of mind which is the direct result of satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming" John Wooden.

I always encourage my students to start their first year at Penn State with a plan. It is never too early to think about studying abroad, participating in internships, or applying to graduate school. Factoring in these opportunities early in your undergraduate education will better situate you to achieve your goals. Below, I have provided a brief outline that might make sense for you, especially if you are considering graduate school:

First Year (Self-Discovery)
Explore your interests and abilities;
Visit and talk with your academic adviser;
Develop effective and efficient study habits and skills (you might even set a goal of making the Dean's List);
Participate in out-of class activities that enhance your learning (you can check out PSU's events calendar to see what exhibits, lectures, and events are happening on campus);
Visit Grad Fair and Career Day events to observe;
Do something each week that makes you happy.

Second Year (Assessing Options)
Define and establish your personal, life, and career goals;
Start to make contacts in your chosen career area - maybe even try to shadow alumni;
Identify potential mentors from professors, staff or graduate students;
Search for relevant internship/co-op opportunities (the College's internship website is a great place to start);
Get involved with faculty research if possible;
Keep discuss your goals with your adviser and mentors.

Third Year (Engaging Your Goals)
Examine and confirm your career choice;
If you are considering non-profit, government, or corporate positions, make use alumni contacts;
Strengthen your mentoring relationship and discuss your plans with your adviser or faculty mentor;
Research appropriate graduate programs and visit school if possible;
Apply for summer research or internship experiences (it is always a good idea to begin this search and apply for positions early, anywhere between late-fall to early spring);
Attend graduate/professional and career fairs to establish contacts;
Research admission test/exam dates and schedule yours!

Fourth Year (Making a Choice)
Register to take admissions test if not already completed;
If you still haven't, sign up for one of the Career Fairs sponsored by PSU's Career Services;
Start applying to graduate school (apply early since most universities use electronic applications and comply with deadlines);
While you wait to hear the results from job interviews or graduate school applications, soak up the rest of your time here at Penn State!

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this post further, please feel free to comment on this post or email me directly at efm1@psu.edu. I wish you the best of luck on your journey here in the College of the Liberal Arts at Penn State.

I don't need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod; my shadow does that much better.
-Plutarch

Dear 2010-11 L A First Year Students:

Please accept my greetings to you on behalf of the College of the Liberal Arts. Your decision to start your enrollment in the College of the Liberal Arts, we will provide you with a myriad of opportunities to achieve your goals as a global citizen. This office is part of the resources available to you in the College. I look forward to seeing you at the College meeting on August 22nd this meeting will provide you with the opportunity seek clarifications on any concerns you have before classes start. You are about to continue a journey that will produce greatness. Hopefully the activities you pursue will support your full engagement in our Penn State community.

During the year you will hear from me about opportunities and relevant information for you to explore. Even though you will have a primary adviser in the College, I expect multicultural students to keep me apprised of their progress during the semester. You can always expect that I will ask you questions about your goals and objectives regarding your educational experience. For example: Are you thinking about graduate/professional school? How will research experiences fit into your goals? When are you planning to participate in education abroad? Did you think about applying for an internship? These are a small sample of critical questions for you to explore.

I look forward to working with you during your enrollment in the College of the Liberal Arts. You can follow in the footsteps of earlier students completing their undergraduate degree then moving on to graduate and/or professional school. Your mantra should be 'We Are Penn State and We Strive for Excellence'!

Respectfully,

Earl F. Merritt

Multicultural Equity Programs
College of the Liberal Arts

"Only a life lived for others is worthwhile" Albert Einstein

I pose this question after just returning from the CIC Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) conference held at The Ohio State University from 7/22-25/2010. This event is part of the capstone experience for some 464 students who have participated in an eight-week research internship attracting students in numerous disciplines who aspire to graduate study. The goal of SROP is to increase the number of students from underrepresented groups who will enroll and seek graduate degrees at CIC universities. Penn State University had a cohort of 31 students participating in this activity. There were three students from the College of the Liberal Arts in the aforementioned group. During the conference I met four other Penn State students participating in SROP at University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and Ohio State University. These students participated in poster sessions and discussion roundtables; networked with faculty and SROP alumni; and attended a recruitment fair.

We had the opportunity hear Astrophysicist Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in New York as the keynote speaker. He shared his experiences as a young person growing up in New York. His early passion to understand and study the universe was a driving force directing his achievements. He is a frequent guest on the Daily Show, The Colbert Report, and hosts PBS's show NOVAscienceNow.

These SROP participants have a leg up on the process of getting admitted to graduate schools because they have shown the initiative, commitment, and the desire to make a difference by engaging in the research process. Some of these students will continue to be involved in research when they return to their home institution. Over 59% of these students will graduate by fall 2011 with GPAs of 3.4 or above.

If you have not been involved in research, you should consider connecting with the faculty in your major this fall to open this new vista. Check with your advisor or faculty to learn more about research experiences in your major.

Take a look at some of the photos taken at the CIC Summer Research Opportunities conference:

"To be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others." - Nelson Mandela
The quote captures the essence of South Africa's Ubuntu culture, "I am because you are."

As you begin to embark on your college journey of discovery, what you will become at the end of the venture is the ultimate riddle. You may ask why such lofty thoughts during the summer. What better time to discuss the quality of humanness than during the World Cup which is centered in South Africa. South Africa, as a nation, was under the rule of apartheid policies until 1994. However the ethical and spiritual teachings of Ubuntu are reflected in its continual recovery.

Your experiences at Penn State will be based on the nature of relationships you develop. Relationships are processes that must be reciprocal. To be fully human you must develop the core values of mutual respect, mutual caring, mutual sharing, harmonious living together and a shared commitment to the ongoing work of peace through justice. The notion of sharing is a key concept in the world and our ethics define how we will operate.

Dr. Maulana Karenga (2010), the founder of Kwanzaa, posits the following as key elements for building a good world we want and deserve:
 

• shared status
• shared knowledge
• shared space
  
• shared wealth
  
• shared power
  
• shared interests
  
• shared responsibility
  

The competencies that you acquire cannot evolve in a vacuum. This Penn State journey will expose you to an array of opportunities to start or continue making a difference in the lives of others. Hopefully you will capture the spirit of the Odu Ifa and fulfill the obligation of bringing good into the world. Build a better world!

Greetings! Let me begin by telling you a little bit about who I am. I grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts. I majored in History and Political Science as an undergraduate at Kentucky State College. Plus, I have graduate degrees in Counseling and Child and Family Studies. Currently, I am the Coordinator of Multicultural Equity Programs in the College of the Liberal Arts. My duties focus on recruitment and retention of underrepresented students in the college. One of my goals in the work that I do is to help students find ways to challenge themselves and to take risks that will positively impact their undergraduate education.

Now that you know a little bit about me, allow me to share a story that reflects how I learned to navigate my own undergraduate experience. My adviser Dr. Smith was a stern looking person but was also very communicative when engaged by students. Dr. Smith helped me to develop as a student by taking on academic challenges. I clearly recall seeking his input on my course selection one semester. I was interested in taking an upper level course that was rarely offered. He encouraged me to reflect on the class environment I would be entering, as a sophomore taking a course with upper level students. He wondered if I would I be up to the challenge of mastering material without much prior exposure. He asked me to explain how I planned to overcome that potential challenge, since I expected to earn an A in the course. Dr. Smith equipped me to become an educated problem solver through this exercise of 'what if'. I assessed what I perceived to be the essential challenges that could occur and proposed possible solutions, thereby refining my risk taking skills. Based on my proposal he acquiesced to my request. In this course, I was thrust into a cohort of students that allowed my interpersonal and critical reasoning skills to evolve. I started examining materials beyond their surface meanings, seeking alternative explanations, proposing new directions to explore, and I developed a willingness to ask questions.

It is my belief that Liberal Arts students are uniquely gifted when they fully engage with the array of experiences offered at the University. Students should constantly ask what kinds of risks they can take to challenge and broaden their undergraduate experience.

What have been some of your growth producing experiences during your enrollment? What risks have you taken? Allow others to learn from your ventures.