Recently in PFP Opportunities Category

Paterno Fellows have a special interest in undergraduate research since they are required to complete a senior thesis as members of the Schreyer Honors College.  And the Discovery Grant--$3000--for research to be completed next summer.  Do plan to apply--the deadline is February 8--particularly if you are now in your junior year (but freshmen and sophs are also eligible).  You have a very good chance to win one of the grants, and the application process is really pretty simple.

There will be two opportunities for students to prepare competitive applications.  First, on Monday, December 17, from 2:45 to 4:00 p.m. in 124 Sparks, there will be an overview and Q&A session for interested students. (If you cannot attend this session, write to Barb Edwards at bae1@psu.edu and she will arrange a make-up session.)  On December 17 the application process will be reviewed (it is indeed really pretty simple) and most of all, advice will be offered on how to come up with a compelling topic for research.  Then during the second week of classes in January, there will be an info session on the applications themselves (with examples of past successful proposals).

Note Well:  For the past few years the College of the Liberal Arts has had more Discovery Grant winners than any other PSU college.  The biggest reason, of course, is the quality of our students. (If you go to the Discovery Grant site, you can find a list of previous winners and the titles of their projects.  Many of the winners are Liberal Arts Paterno Fellows.)

But another reason is that Liberal Arts cooperates with Old Main in funding worthy Discovery Grant applicants.  That means Paterno Fellows have an excellent chance of being funded--if they apply!  So do plan on putting forward an application, and do plan on coming to the info session on December 17. 

You have a darn good chance to win, in other words.  So give it a try!
For students unable to attend this workshop, an additional information session is scheduled for Monday, December 10, 2012, at 12:00 p.m. in room 107 of the HUB.  Please refer to the event flyer for more information on this session.

Sean Misko, Special Advisor to the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, U.S. Department of State, presents "Afghanistan and Pakistan: Does Diplomacy Matter?" on Wednesday, October 24, at 8:00 p.m. in the HUB Auditorium.  Misko is a 2004 Scholar alumnus who graduated with honors in international politics.

This lecture, which is free and open to the public, will have particular value to students studying international politics, political science, and criminology.  Fellows are encouraged to attend.

For details: http://blogs.la.psu.edu/laus-announcements/2012/10/liberal-arts-alumnus-sean-misko-to-present-18th-annual-mark-luchinsky-memorial-lecture.html

Monday, October 8, 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
The Center for American Literary Studies Symposium

Students are welcome to attend any or all sessions of the "Turn, Turn, Turn" Symposium.

In the past decade literary studies has undergone a series of field redefinitions that have been characterized as "turns," including (but far from limited to) the spatial, temporal, postnational, hemispheric, secular, and ethical turns. Symposium participants will reflect theoretically and methodologically on the moments in which the field of literary studies seems to gather itself and venture in presumably new directions. More broadly, we will meditate on the moments in Americanist literary criticism when momentums shift, when an approach practiced by a few becomes a movement, when there is impetus for change in a field.

For more information: http://english.la.psu.edu/events/turn-turn-turn-cals-fall-symposium

Dear Paterno Fellows:

The GLOBE is a Special Living Option sponsored by the Schreyer Honors College, founded in Fall 2011 to promote global citizenship in its residents and around Penn State.  One of the GLOBE's signature events is the Global Food and Film series, which allows students to cook a foreign dish with Faculty Advisor (and Liberal Arts faculty member) Dr. Mia Bloom, and watch a film while eating.  It's a terrific way to get an international perspective while having one heck of a tasty time.

This Sunday, October 7th, is the first food and film event of the year.

• Starting at 10:00 a.m. the hosts will be cooking Spinach, Pesto, and Cheese Lasagna and also Sausage and Mushroom Lasagna.  They have room for 2 chefs to join in!  First come, first served:  If you would like to join, please fill out the following survey: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFg2ZGNEaGdJTE1ZSUtYUkh6RlU2eGc6MQ. For the "Room Number" question, please enter "PF."
• If you will not be able to join as a cook, but would like to join to watch the film and eat at 12:30 p.m., the hosts have room for 10 people there.  Please indicate your interest for this option by filling out this survey: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dDRMc3dOcVVSTnRib01pUUtldVp0V0E6MQ.  NOTE WELL:  Please fill out this survey by 5:00 p.m. Thursday so that an appropriate amount of food can be purchased.
  

All people who respond to the survey will be notified via email on Friday evening, along with directions to Simmons Hall and a contact phone number.

What are your plans for Fall Break this year?  There are no classes for a full week, so it's a perfect opportunity to dedicate some time in service to others.  Urban Service Experience is a five-day, four-night immersive volunteer opportunity taking place in Washington, D.C., from November 16-20.  This service-learning trip is designed for students to learn more about themselves, others, and the community around them through service experiences in an urban environment.  Your well-spent time will be applied to the Paterno Fellows Leadership / Service Requirement.

Learn more about Urban Service Experience on LAUS Announcements. 

Priority Application Deadline: Friday, October 5, 2012, by 5:00 p.m.

Sarah Vowell, New York Times bestselling author, will be visiting Penn State to talk about her most recent book, Unfamiliar Fishes.  The Paterno Fellows Program is co-sponsoring her visit, so fellows and aspirants will have several opportunities to attend her talk, or to meet with her in a small group setting.

Sarah Vowell is the New York Times' bestselling author of six nonfiction books on American history and culture.  By examining the connections between the American past and present, she offers personal, often humorous accounts of everything from presidents and their assassins to colonial religious fanatics, as well as thoughts on American Indians, utopian dreamers, pop music and the odd cranky cartographer.

Vowell's most recent book, Unfamiliar Fishes (2011), is the intriguing history of our 50th state, Hawaii, annexed in 1898.  Replete with a cast of beguiling and often tragic characters, including an overthrown Hawaiian queen, whalers, missionaries, sugar barons, Teddy Roosevelt and assorted con men, Unfamiliar Fishes is another history lesson in Americana as only Vowell can tell it - with brainy wit and droll humor.

For more information about Sarah Vowell, please go to: http://barclayagency.com/vowell.html

Public Talk - No registration required

Thursday, October 4, 7:30 p.m., 101 Agricultural Science and Industries Building
Sarah Vowell will talk about her most recent book, Unfamiliar Fishes, at this event which is free and open to the public.

Small Group Opportunities

Students will have two opportunities to meet with Sarah Vowell in a small group setting.  These events will be of special interest to students who are familiar with Vowell's work, and who would like to learn more about her writing, including the writing process and the way she engages the media.  She will be discussing Unfamiliar Fishes.  Paterno Fellows will be joined by students from the College of Education in each of these sessions.  

Participants must register in advance by sending an email to Barb Edwards <bae1@psu.edu> or by calling 814-863-4395.  Space is limited to the first 12 students to reply for the 3:00 p.m. class, and the first 3 students for the 5:00 dinner.  Please be sure to indicate which of the events you would like to attend.  Registration closes on October 2.

Class Session - Registration required
Thursday, October 4, 3:00-4:00 p.m., 208 Chambers Building
Students who attend the class are encouraged to attend the public talk.

Dinner with the Author - Registration required
Thursday, October 4, 5:00 p.m., The Nittany Lion Inn
Students who attend the dinner are required to attend the public talk.

Participate in the Liberal Arts Mentor Program--applications now being accepted.

All Liberal Arts students intending to graduate in 2013 or 2014 are eligible for the program, which is designed to help students develop professionally and explore career options by connecting them one-on-one with alumni.

Applications for the next program cycle, which starts in the fall, will be accepted till June 1, 2012, and you will notified by August 1 about the status of a match with a mentor.

Visit the program web-page for complete information including the on-line application.

The mentor program does not take a lot of time but can reap big benefits. View it as an investment in yourself and your professional development. Though it is not a job- or internship-finding program by design, some students have in fact achieved such results through excellent relationship-building and communication with their mentor. At the very least, you will develop clearer career plans, a top-quality résumé, a professional reference, and access to your mentor's network.

Here are comments from student participants:

• "Thanks for making the wonderful alumni mentoring program possible! I've yet to stop raving!"
• "The mentor program was the best thing I've done as a Penn State student."
• "Thank you so very much for opening the Penn State network to me and putting me in touch with my mentor. I'm very excited to say I have a paid internship with her agency this summer!"
• "Thank you again for matching me with (Beth) through the alumni mentor program. She was and continues to be an excellent mentor."
• "I had a very successful matching and have had wonderful experience."

Students interested in the Liberal Arts Mentor Program can also listen to Episode 39 of the Liberal Arts Voices podcast to hear more from student participants in the program.

Hello! Meghan Gillies and I are hoping to start up a THON organization for Paterno Fellows and aspirants.

This is a great way to get involved with a life-changing cause and meet other Paterno Fellows.

If you aren't aware what THON is check out their website (www.thon.org/) and you'll find all you need to know. But basically, THON is the world's largest student run philanthropy and  raises money for kids with pediatric cancer. This year we raised over $9.5 million For The Kids!

If you are interested in joining e-mail both of us at dlm5322@psu.edu and mag5418@psu.edu. This isn't binding, we are just trying to get an idea of who'd want to get involved.
 

Hey Paterno Fellows!

My name is Olivia Hoover and I'm a freshman Psychology major. I am a member of the Paterno Fellows Advisory Board, and we have been talking about getting the program involved with Homecoming 2011. So, I'm trying to get a group of students interested in helping to make some plans for next fall. One main thing we'd like to do is get involved with the parade, by either making a float or just having a group walk.

If anyone would like to be a part of Homecoming 2011 or has any suggestions, please email me at orh5010@psu.edu. We need your help to get this going!

Thank you so much!

It's official:  The first annual Paterno Fellows Recognition Ceremony will take place on Monday, January 10, 7 pm in Heritage Hall of the HUB. All Paterno Fellows (i.e., juniors and some sophs) and all aspirants (sophs and freshmen) are expected to attend.  Mark your calendars now.

This will be a memorable event, one that will become an annual affair.  Joe and Sue Paterno are expected to attend; although it is always possible that something will come up at the last minute that prevents their attendance, they are definitely planning to make it.  Part of the evening will include the awarding to Joepa of the College of the Liberal Arts Centennial Medal--the one he couldn't be there to accept last year because he was on the road coaching PSU to a win at Michigan.  That will give students an opportunity to show the Paternos their appreciation for making the Paterno Program possible.

But the main guests of honor will be the 200 or so students who have met the requirements for acceptance as Paterno Fellows--113 juniors, 59 sophomores (in addition to the other  30-40 sophomores that are expected to qualify after grades are posted later this month), and a couple of dozen first-year students who are also qualified as Fellows as a result of their admission to the Schreyer Honors College and their commitment to be Fellows. 

The many freshmen and sophomores who are still aspiring to become Fellows should plan to attend in order to support and celebrate their classmates.

Fellows will be recognized by name at the event.  Those Fellows in attendance will also receive a nice Paterno Fellows hooded sweatshirt as an acknowledgment of their status--you can expect to receive a query in the coming days so that we get your size right. (Incidentally, you can also expect to receive a more permanent symbol of your accomplishments as Paterno Fellows when you graduate.)

Here's what  you can expect on January 10 (in a program designed by the Paterno Fellows Student Advisory Board):

• An event that lasts no more than 75 minutes, including the short reception after;
• Some suitable music;
• A short presentation by a Paterno Fellow who will speak about what the Program is all about;
• A short recognition of the Fellows, followed by celebratory food and drink;
• A surprise or two.
  

Also attending, in addition to members of the Paterno family, will be Deans Susan Welch and Chris Long, President Spanier and Dean Brady of the Schreyer Honors College, and other guests.

Again, all Paterno Fellows and Paterno aspirants are expected to attend.

It should be fun. 

I'll provide more details later this month and in early January so that you know exactly what to expect.  Fellows will also be receiving a questionnaire about your sweatshirt size.

In the meantime, best wishes for a great end to the semester and success with exams and final projects.

PS How to dress?  I suggest that you wear what you'd wear to an evening show in  Eisenhower.