Ever wonder would it be like to work in another country? Chris Long sits down with the college’s first Chapel Executive Intern, Gail Goochee, to talk about her internship at Volvo headquarters in Sweden.
Podcast Replay: The Center for Democratic Deliberation
In November 2012, Dean Long and then Director of Digital Media and Pedagogy, John Dolan sat down for a discussion with the co-directors of the Center for Democratic Deliberation (CDD). In this podcast, J. Michael Hogan, Liberal Arts Research Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences, and Debra Hawhee, professor of English, talk about the mission of the CDD as it related to teaching, outreach, and research. They also share their thoughts on what it means to deliberate.
Debra and Mike also provide an overview of some of the opportunities for undergraduate students to get involved with the CDD. For more information about these opportunities, please visit the CDD website.
Listen to the podcast to learn about the CDD:
Subscribe to Liberal Arts Podcasts through iTunes.
Penn State’s U Report Wins Award for Best Podcast
Penn State University’s U Report, a cross-departmental podcast series focusing on the people of Penn State, received the award for Best Podcast for the Ragan’s 2011 Employee Communications Awards, which are considered to be the most prestigious within public relations and corporate communications.
Self-described as “unscripted, unedited, and unrehearsed,” the U Report received praise from Ragan Awards judges for its enthusiastic and natural co-hosts, who give an insider’s perspective into the faculty, staff, and students that make up the Penn State community. From the student behind the Nittany Lion mascot to members of the Paranormal Research Society, the subjects at the heart of the U Report illustrate the tremendous diversity within the Penn State community.
The Ragan Awards also recognized the U Report’s ability to create a multimedia, interactive experience through photos, videos, and social media sites that encourage interaction among users. All of this engaging and interactive content is created and managed on a next-to-nothing budget by three Penn State staffers:
- John Dolan, Director of Digital Media and Pedagogy, College of the Liberal Arts
- Christina McNeill, Multimedia Specialist, Office of Student Aid, Undergraduate Education
- Shannon Ritter, Admissions and Recruitment, Social Media Coordinator, School of Theatre
Congratulations to the U Report and its co-hosts on this tremendous honor!
Read the complete article from Ragan.com to hear more praise for the U Report, and be sure to check out the latest award-winning U Report podcast at theureport.posterous.com.
Liberal Arts Voices: Episode 39 “Alumni Mentor Program”
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”
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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.
Liberal Arts Voices: Episode 35 “Undergraduate Research and Pre-Law Opportunities”
Liberal Arts Voices: Episode 35 “Undergraduate
Research and Pre-Law Opportunities”
Originally uploaded by LAUSatPSU
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.
Liberal Arts Voices: Episode 34 “Talking Through the Penn State Crisis”
Liberal Arts Voices: Episode 34
“Talking Through the Penn State Crisis”
Originally uploaded by LAUSatPSU
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.
Liberal Arts Voices: Episode 32 “The Excellence in Communication Certificate”
Liberal Arts Voices: Episode 32 “The Excellence
in Communication Certificate”
Originally uploaded by LAUSatPSU
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 r�sum�s 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.
Liberal Arts Voices: Episode 29 Introducing the Career Enrichment Network
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.”
Please join us in welcoming Susan Knell to the College of the Liberal Arts! And make sure to follow LAUS’s blog, Twitter, and Facebook pages for updates on the Career Enrichment Network.
Liberal Arts Voices: Episode 29
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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.
Liberal Arts Voices: Episode 26
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
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.
Liberal Arts Voices: Episode 24
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
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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.