This summer, I had the wonderful opportunity of traveling to Sri Lanka with ten scholars from the honors college. Although we each came from different academic backgrounds, we had all been chosen to be Malini Summer Fellows because of our passion and will to fight for educational opportunities and equal rights for women and girls. For twelve days, we toured Sri Lanka, learned about nonprofit and non-governmental organizations, and ran creative arts and reading workshops with about 150 children.
One day while riding on the bus, our mentor and CEO of the Malini Foundation, Valerie Handunge, spoke with us about her nonprofit and social entrepreneurship theory. In words more eloquent than these, she explained to us that running a few two day workshops in Sri Lanka wouldn’t change the world. I knew that what she said was true, and her honesty was refreshing.
Still, I remained confident that my time in Sri Lanka was well spent. Our creative arts and reading workshops, which were fun for the children and for the group of fellows, were also a key piece of the Malini Foundation’s participatory approach to social justice work. By reaching out to communities, Valerie builds relationships with communities and trust is established. Our creative arts and reading workshops were just one component of the community outreach approach. Though our time with these children represents only a drop in the bucket in terms of the time and effort that is necessary to affect change, we went into it knowing that our work was part of a larger plan. Eventually, the time will be right for these women, girls, and their communities to feel empowered themselves.
Unsurprisingly, empowerment was a buzzword on the trip. Upon reflection, I have come to the conclusion that empowerment ultimately comes from within, but that positive outside influences can be a key piece to realizing one’s own prowess. On my trip to Sri Lanka, I joined Valerie and her team of volunteers and interns on their mission to help Sri Lankan women and girls to unleash their potential. Through conversations with Valerie and the group of fellows, I began to assess my own sense of empowerment. I realized that being empowered is an active state. It requires honesty and self acceptance. My own empowerment requires effort and commitment to self growth and to continued flourishing.
This experience has shaped me in more ways than one. Not only do I feel more empowered, but I am also exploring new academic and career opportunities. Next semester, I will continue my work with the Malini Foundation as a senior program development intern. I take pride in this work because it directly facilitates the empowerment of the communities I met this summer. As a result of my efforts, I hope that I can learn and grow to be more empowered myself.
Study Abroad Liberal Arts: Jullia H in Amman, Jordan
I remember this was a particularly tough day in Jordan. It was one of the first times that I realized that Amman is a foreign city. And sometimes in foreign cities you get lost, you have to adjust to different accommodations and different schedules. After an unintended mid-day adventure around a new part of town, I found myself early to the gym. Because of Ramadan, hours for most businesses change. Really, hours for life change. For the most part during the day, everything is closed. Those who fast sleep later, stay up later, and prefer to not work while the sun is up. Usually businesses started to open around 4 or 5 to prepare for iftaar (breaking the Muslim’s Ramadan fast) and then closed for the iftaar (between 7 and 9 PM) and then stayed open until the early hours of the morning. This made grocery shopping, working out, and many other things inconvenient.
So, after getting lost and going to the completely wrong side of the city, I dejectedly took a cab to my gym. Unfortunately, my gym didn’t open until 4. It was about 3:30. I sat down on the sidewalk near my gym and a few shops and I opened up my books to do some homework. It was uncomfortable because it was about 100o, the sun was shining on my back, and I was wearing jeans. After a few minutes of staring at my Arabic homework, an older man, maybe in his 60s, walked up to me and told me to come sit with him. I politely declined, but he insisted that I get out of the heat. I followed him, secretly grateful for the opportunity to get out of the blistering Amman sun.
He led me over to his shop and pulled up a seat with him and two other young men. He asked me my name, what I was studying, and chatted with me for a while. As I did my homework, he explained to me that he fled Syria and came to Jordan when the major conflicts started a few years ago. I listened to him tell his story, his pain, and his hopes while the two younger men, whom I found out were the older man’s sons, translated words that I did not know.
They asked me questions about my life, as well. They wanted to know what New York was like (they think that there is nothing outside of the city), they wanted to know why I was studying Arabic, and they picked my brain about politics of the Middle East. I barely knew this man. I never even caught his name. Yet, he touched me profoundly. I listened to his struggle to get his family out of danger, his struggle to feed six mouths while working menial jobs, and his hope to one day return safely to Syria. I felt his pain and was simultaneously in awe of his hope of a bright future in dismal times.
It’s those interactions that remind me why I chose to go there. I am a representative for America. I want to break the stereotype that is prevalent in the Middle East that perpetuates this notion of American ignorance. If I can change the mind of one person, so that he no longer sees Americans as conceited and oblivious, then I have served a purpose. I think about all of the people at home and at school who have opened up their mind to this culture and have worked hard to understand and empathize, and they deserve to be acknowledged. By the Middle East acknowledging that Americans are working to bridge this cultural gap, then maybe they too will work to forge the bridge. Being in Amman was eye opening in terms of the cultural differences. However, it also gave me hope that somewhere we will find a connection between these two incredibly different societies to encourage love, compassion and peace.
Read Out: Reading on Race and Resistance
English Course to “Gamify” Study of Rhetoric in Dialogue
ENGL 474 (GH) Issues in Rhetoric and Composition
Subtitle: Rhetoric in Dialogue
This course focuses on the rhetorical use of dialogue for making arguments and exploring complicated ideas, sometimes called “dialectic”. As such, it will explore rhetoric’s relationship with poetics, literature, and philosophy. Students will become familiar with the genre by reading some brief classical speeches, comedies, and of course, dialogues from authors like Aristophanes and Plato in addition to some contemporary examples. However, for the majority of the course we will treat dialogue as a game in which student-players make controversial statements, ask insightful questions, and provide appropriate answers. By engaging historical rules for this game, we will ultimately establish our own for a version more applicable to our current times. Students will supply topics and readings from their own academic, literary, and popular interests and will lead the game in turn. The rules may evolve as we progress, but the continuing experience will leave students with the ability to productively examine texts in various disciplines and genres; refine their opinions and challenge those of others; compose their own dialogues for the purpose of inquiry and argument; and participate in critical discussions outside the confines of the game and without the aid of other trained players.
Adviser Greg Nolan Shares Parting Advice
On my last day as an adviser with the College of the Liberal Arts, I am looking back over the past years and reflecting on all the interactions I have had with students. So many good conversations, a lot of fun times, some difficult ones too, but ultimately each moment was special and meaningful. It is my hope that I have been able to help students’ academic, personal, and professional growth and development throughout their time at Penn State, and it is my turn to offer one final piece of advice.
After meeting with thousands of students for a number of different reasons, I have come to realize that the best learning opportunities are those that were least expected (and sometimes the most difficult). Whether it is taking a course that you never would have expected to take, earning a ‘D’ on a paper for the first time in your life, joining a club or organization that you had never heard of, or getting busted for something and needing to go to a student conduct hearing – these are the stories I have heard and conversations I have had with students through which they have learned the most.
So while my last words of wisdom are not going to be to get yourself in trouble (although you will definitely learn a lot from that situation!), they are going to be to step outside your comfort zone and challenge yourself to try something you otherwise wouldn’t. If you have never taken advantage of a professor’s office hours, stop by to say hi and chat about the course. Take a course in Religious Studies or Women’s Studies to fulfill your general education. Stop by the LGBT Resource Center to learn about the resources they have to offer. If you are thinking of studying abroad, challenge yourself to choose a location that you are less comfortable with. Join a club or organization that you have never heard of. Then, after you do this, meet with your adviser to discuss the situation, the opportunities you took advantage of, and what you have learned.
Ultimately, this will not only help to build your resume and make yourself more marketable in the future, but it will also facilitate your personal development. Hopefully this will allow you to reflect introspectively on your identities, take into consideration the diverse backgrounds from which we all come, and think more critically about current events in today’s society. So try something new, step outside your comfort zone, and take a risk! You won’t know how much you can learn until you try!
Wishing you all the best,
Greg
Sierra Leone: Of Markets and Women
By: Phoebe Canagarajah
The pungent smell of fish in the hazy sun, combined with the unique scents of those crowding around you, overtake your senses. You swivel your head around to find the rest of your group, trying to avoid looking at the stacks of fish swarmed by flies or the arranged piles of chicken feet. You watch your footing as you gingerly maneuver around low-rimmed baskets of onions and cassava leaves as your white sneakers become tinted by the red clay underfoot. Welcome to market, the hub of daily Sierra Leonean life! Looking past the hectic and overpowering scene before you, you see the beauty and serenity of the country—it’s large palm trees and green mountains, their vibrancy both breathtaking and surprising. You didn’t expect Africa to be like this.
As a Liberal Arts student, I had the honor to live and work around the city of Makeni in Sierra Leone for over two weeks this past June as part of Penn State’s HESE program. Most of my time was spent visiting markets and talking to households (generally head female figures), conducting research on general nutrition.
The Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship program at Penn State—commonly shortened to HESE—is a program for students from all disciplines interested in development to gain knowledge and hands-on experience. Last spring semester, my peers and I learned about social entrepreneurship and worked on research projects to be carried out over the summer field experience. Our research was closely tied to the venture we’re trying to develop, GRO Greenhouses. Sierra Leone has the highest rainfall in Africa, yet most of its population is malnourished. Taking advantage of the natural resources in effort to solve a need, GRO is committed to sustainably providing affordable greenhouses to responsible shareholders in order to provide communities with better seasonal nutrition. To this end, my research partner and I conducted a baseline study on common foods the general population ate to discover why malnourishment was an issue and to specify foods that would be needed and profitable to grow in greenhouses. This semester, we are writing a paper using this data in effort to get published and add to the body of literature about Sierra Leone.
Being able to qualitatively research households and build relationships was a rewarding, albeit demanding, experience. While initially exhausting, visiting homes and observing families’ lifestyles and experiences carried their own sense of adventure. My time in Sierra Leone would not have been as rich had I been unable to so immerse myself in Sierra Leonean daily life. I came away from Sierra Leone with an understanding of the lifestyle, a respect for the people and an enjoyment of their culture.
Liberal Arts Research Fair – September 2
The Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council will be hosting a Liberal Arts Research Fair on Tuesday, September 2nd at 6:30pm in 062 Willard. Please come out to learn about various research opportunities/assistantships from faculty within the College of the Liberal Arts. Pizza and refreshments will be provided after the event.
Empowerment through Experience – By Alyssa Gurklis
This summer, I had the wonderful opportunity of traveling to Sri Lanka with ten scholars from the honors college. Although we each came from different academic backgrounds, we had all been chosen to be Malini Summer Fellows because of our passion and will to fight for educational opportunities and equal rights for women and girls. For twelve days, we toured Sri Lanka, learned about nonprofit and non-governmental organizations, and ran creative arts and reading workshops with about 150 children.
One day while riding on the bus, our mentor and CEO of the Malini Foundation, Valerie Handunge, spoke with us about her nonprofit and social entrepreneurship theory. In words more eloquent than these, she explained to us that running a few two day workshops in Sri Lanka wouldn’t change the world. I knew that what she said was true, and her honesty was refreshing.
Still, I remained confident that my time in Sri Lanka was well spent. Our creative arts and reading workshops, which were fun for the children and for the group of fellows, were also a key piece of the Malini Foundation’s participatory approach to social justice work. By reaching out to communities, Valerie builds relationships with communities and trust is established. Our creative arts and reading workshops were just one component of the community outreach approach. Though our time with these children represents only a drop in the bucket in terms of the time and effort that is necessary to affect change, we went into it knowing that our work was part of a larger plan. Eventually, the time will be right for these women, girls, and their communities to feel empowered themselves.
Unsurprisingly, empowerment was a buzzword on the trip. Upon reflection, I have come to the conclusion that empowerment ultimately comes from within, but that positive outside influences can be a key piece to realizing one’s own prowess. On my trip to Sri Lanka, I joined Valerie and her team of volunteers and interns on their mission to help Sri Lankan women and girls to unleash their potential. Through conversations with Valerie and the group of fellows, I began to assess my own sense of empowerment. I realized that being empowered is an active state. It requires honesty and self acceptance. My own empowerment requires effort and commitment to self growth and to continued flourishing.
This experience has shaped me in more ways than one. Not only do I feel more empowered, but I am also exploring new academic and career opportunities. Next semester, I will continue my work with the Malini Foundation as a senior program development intern. I take pride in this work because it directly facilitates the empowerment of the communities I met this summer. As a result of my efforts, I hope that I can learn and grow to be more empowered myself.
Welcome Liberal Arts Citizens
Whether you are a returning or change of location student or a new student just embarking on your college career, I want to welcome you to the 2014-15 academic year in the College of the Liberal Arts at Penn State.
I know many of you have had an excellent summer of study abroad, internships, work, learning, or preparing to begin college, and I hope you are refreshed and ready to turn your full attention to the year ahead.
A liberal arts education involves more than taking classes in specific disciplines, it also entails cultivating certain habits of thinking, reflecting, and responding to the world we inhabit. In addition to the excellent critical thinking, writing, and speaking skills you learn through our liberal arts curriculum, you’ll need to develop the habits of leadership, imagination, initiative, and engagement if you want to create a fulfilling life for yourself.
We have a rich set of resources in the College to help you do this, beginning with our excellent corps of experienced academic advisers, and extending to our Career Enrichment Network, which has financial resources to help you study abroad, find an internship or a mentor, or pursue research.
To encourage you to do this and to enable you to track and document your progress, I am happy to invite you to participate in our Liberal Arts Citizens Badge program:
Liberal Arts Citizens perceive globally, lead ethically, take initiative, and engage their communities in meaningful ways. The Liberal Arts Citizen badging program is designed to encourage and recognize the actions that demonstrate these values and skills in our Liberal Arts students. Badges in four categories – global perspective, leadership, initiative, and engagement – will help you navigate the opportunities available in the College of the Liberal Arts.
We are one of the first units at Penn State to roll out such a badge platform, and we did it because we wanted to help you document and demonstrate the habits of the liberal arts that will give you an edge in creating a meaningful and fulfilling life.
Plus, we thought it would be fun.
So as we begin the year, I invite you to become a liberal arts citizen by taking full advantage of the resources we have to enrich your liberal arts experience.
Sincerely,
@deancplong
Being Liberal at Liberal Arts
Webster’s defines the word liberal as “not opposed to new ideas or ways of behaving that are not traditional or widely accepted”. I have always believed that being liberal is a way of thinking— which allows you to think outside the box, and address the need of the hour in ways that have never been attempted before. This is exactly what the College of the Liberal Arts has done; when questions arise, they bring new perspectives and fresh ideas. The last few years, the entire nation has seen a growth in the number of international students studying in the United States. The students coming from China has increased by 21 % just in the last year. (IIE, Open Doors 2013) This trend is very visible in the College of the Liberal Arts at Penn State as well. Our College houses 10% of the entire international student population at University Park. This has definitely changed the student demographics at the College and has presented new challenges and learnings. In order to address this change, the College of the Liberal Arts took the bull by the horns and created a brand new advising position to work primarily with international students and create programs to help them assimilate and transition into the culture of the United States and higher education system. Since there is no other position like this at Penn State, the College of the Liberal Arts is truly showing its pioneering spirit to better accommodate its students through this initiative.
As this week is freshman international student arrival week at the University, I wanted to reach out to all of the international students in the College of the Liberal Arts and extend a warm welcome to all of you. Having been an international student just like you a decade ago, I totally understand what you are going through at this moment in time. You all have made a big decision in your life, and I know how much courage and heart it takes to leave your known land and come to a country which is so alien and new to you. I want you all to know that Penn State is a wonderful university, and it truly believes in your success and wants you to do well. If you ever have any questions, concerns, or issues, I would be more than happy to help you along with my other wonderful colleagues in the College.
I wanted to also invite you to a Welcome Party hosted by the College of the Liberal Arts Thursday August 21st, from 5:00- 6:30 pm, in the lobby of the Sparks building in your honor. We will have free food from around the world and you will get to meet your fellow students, other upperclassmen in the College, the Associate Dean of the College and of course your advisers. We sincerely hope that you all can attend. In addition the College has also created workshops and events for you throughout the Fall semester to help you succeed. Please stay tuned for them.
Once again, a heartiest welcome to all of you, and many congratulations on your admission to a great university. We at the College of the Liberal Arts wish you the very best.
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