Liberal Arts Voices

Read the perspectives of our current students

Student Spotlight: Brenna Milbert; Study Abroad in Italy, London, Paris and Barcelona!

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Posted By: Career Enrichment Network

Photos and Content contributed by Brenna Milbert. Brenna took part in multiple embedded courses, and will be studying abroad this coming Fall in Barcelona, Spain. 

2014 Spring Semester: Trip to Italy. This is outside of the Colosseum.

2014 Spring Semester: Trip to Italy. This is outside of the Colosseum.

I have attended three embedded abroad programs through Penn State. I have attended the 2014 Spring semester trip to Italy while taking an American Studies class, the 2014 Fall semester trip to London while taking an art course, and the 2016 Spring semester trip to Paris while taking another art class. I also plan on attending the 2016 Fall semester trip to Barcelona with the same campus.

2014 Spring Semester: Trip to Paris. Drive by photo of Notre Dame.

2014 Spring Semester: Trip to Paris. Drive by photo of Notre Dame.

I think the importance of studying abroad in general would come from the class content because there is SO much to learn about other countries and their history. With the history course I was able to learn about the Roman Empire, and understand the growth of the culture for my trip to Italy. With the art courses, I got to learn about how artistic movements grown in the given city (Paris, and London), I got to learn about the amazing architecture throughout the cities, and overall it’s all important, well at least for me it is. You can achieve life experience no matter where you travel. Getting to experience other cultures is a special in all places and programs.

2014 Fall Semester: Trip to London. River ride from the Tate Modern museum to the Tate Britain museum

2014 Fall Semester: Trip to London. River ride from the Tate Modern museum to the Tate Britain museum

I have only attended the embedded programs through the university. So instead of my trips being a semester long, we just got for roughly seven to ten days during out breaks in the semester.

My career goal is to eventually work in some type of Forensic Psychology, hopefully some type of Behavioral Analysis. I think that studying abroad and experiencing different cultures has made me more understanding, and open to new ideas, and ways of doing things. Studying French before my trip to Paris was probably the best idea I could have had. I was able to relate to some of the locals, and not even learn more about the language, but about the culture as well.

Academically, I think it helped me be able to apply what I’ve learned from traveling, to some of my classes. I did well in the courses I took, while learning a new background about the life of others. I think that it gave me a new perspective when approaching certain issues we discuss in my courses.

2016 Spring Semester: Trip to Paris. This picture was taken the day of our Loire Valley excursion, myself outside of the Château de Chambord.

2016 Spring Semester: Trip to Paris. This picture was taken the day of our Loire Valley excursion, myself outside of the Château de Chambord.

A lot of people don’t realize that the embedded programs can also get you the International Studies minor (along with the other given courses of course). At first I didn’t even think of wanting to leave the country ever, until I had a teacher say to me “Travel absolutely every chance you get, I promise you it’s worth it in the end”, so I tested that theory and went on my first trip, and now I don’t ever want to stop traveling. So travel, as much as you can and as far as you want to go, because at the end of the day you grow as a person from learning about, and experiencing, other cultures all over the world. Learn the history, and cool things about the city, but also relax and enjoy yourself by seeing things that you want. Try new foods, dances, visit places in the city that aren’t a high tourist area, I’ve learned that all of the good places to eat and visit are where the locals go. The experience of traveling is truly life changing, and I encourage everyone to take any opportunity that would give them this amazing experience.

2014 Spring Semester: Trip to Italy. A friend and I at the Bronze Warthog Statue in Firenze Italy.

2014 Spring Semester: Trip to Italy. A friend and I at the Bronze Warthog Statue in Firenze Italy.

Interested in studying abroad in the future? The summer is a great time to start planning! All Liberal Arts students studying or interning abroad are eligible for Enrichment Funding. To learn more, please schedule an appointment via Network Symplicity or email Jackie Smith, Global Experiences Coordinator (jds54@psu.edu)  (edit)

Student Spotlight: Matthew Body, Nanjing, China

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Posted By: Career Enrichment Network

Photos and content contributed by Matthew Body, studying Labor and Employment Relations, after he returned from the Embedded Course he took in Nanjing, China last Maymester. 

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I was extremely fortunate to be a part of The School of Labor and Employment Relations’ pilot study abroad program in the Spring of 2015.  I enrolled in, “”LER 497G: “”Managing Human Resources in China”” which took place during the 2015 Maymester.

If you are interested in international business, China is an excellent place to start because of the scale of their economy.  Along with attending lectures at the Nanjing University Business School, our group toured four companies in entirely different industries which gave us a taste of what it’s like to work, and do business in China.

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It is important to note that I had never previously left the country and it was not until one of my mentors and my student services coordinator both convinced me this trip was going to be huge for me both professionally and personally.  This was the chance of a lifetime for me to travel to another country with support from my university and earn credits directly related to my career trajectory.

The course was during the Maymester 2015, and it was perfect!  We were in China for about two weeks directly after the Spring Semester ended, and we were back in time to pursue various internships.

I would like to eventually work for a large multinational corporation. This trip opened my eyes to the possibility of living abroad and building an understanding of another world.  Traveling to China has helped to build my awareness as well as my appreciation for the perspective of others.  Living in a foreign country is like putting your life on a more challenging setting, which I think anyone can benefit from if they fully embrace the opportunity.          

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I was very fortunate to gain support through Enrichment Funding, the LER School, and Alumni from my program and the Office of Global Programs.  Penn State is an extremely generous University in terms of investing into their student’s future.  The money is available, you just need to make your case known and ask.

I continuously find myself referencing something back to an event from my trip.  Your study abroad will be an adventure you will never forget.  Wherever you go, immerse yourself in the culture.  Only eat the food you don’t understand and always use chopsticks.  Make new friends and build relationships with people whom you would otherwise never meet.  Don’t use your phone (except to take pictures of course).

I would tell any student who is thinking about studying abroad to DO IT!  How many students have you met that studied abroad and advised others not to go afterward?  It’s a life changing experience for all and I would not have traded it for anything.  Every student wants to study abroad for their own reasons but it will change you for the better, no matter how many hurdles you have to jump to actually get there.  Definitely the cherry-on-top of my college experience.

Earning academic credits in another country while having them relate directly to my career path is a platform that not every university offers. Living in another part of the world gives you an appreciation for other cultures, a dynamic that cannot be gained by staying in your comfort zone.  Also, simply being able to connect with students who attend school in another country makes you appreciate the volume of educational opportunities available in the United States.

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All the food was phenomenal (eel, frog, birds on a stick, and all kids of noodles).  Being in a foreign country like China makes you appreciate many things you do have back home like non-censored internet, having siblings, air quality, etc. It depends on where you go but getting to view the world from a different perspective is an incredible blessing.                                                                                             

 

Student Spotlight: Rachel and her International Internship

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Rachel Yee is an international student from Singapore majoring in Sociology. She is currently completing a semester long international internship in England. Rachel is an ambitious and motivated liberal arts student who knows the importance of global experiences. She answered some questions about her experiences of living and working in the UK.

Why an international internship?

I’ve always loved travelling and decided very early on that during my 4 years at college, since I was already away from home (I’m from Singapore), I would travel as much as I could. I wanted to make use of the opportunities offered by Penn State to gain as many new experiences as possible. So when it came time to do an internship, it was only natural for me to do it abroad.

How did you find your internship? 

I googled and then contacted many advertising companies in the US, UK and France. I spread my net wide and eventually managed to secure an internship in the UK. It took quite a bit of researching on VISA requirements needed for each country. Fortunately, there are some government programs that allow Americans or students with American study visas to do internships abroad. I found the Penn State Study Abroad Program Search to be very helpful since some study abroad programs have internships available; if you hit the “Advanced Search” tab and under “Parameters” open the “internship available” drop-down menu and select “yes” you will get a list of all those programs.

If you’re interested in getting research experience abroad this might interest you. The liberal arts website also has some helpful information on gaining global experience.

After all that internet searching, I still found that nothing beat talking to a real person. It is good to go to them prepared though, just so that you know what questions to ask. I spoke to several study abroad advisors and professors before I made my decision. My advice would be to do as much research as possible because there are many opportunities available.

Going to your department’s (eg. Sociology), or even other departments’ (Communications) to see what they put on their notice boards might be worth a look too. Not all the programs advertised might be suitable, but a lot of programs might be interesting to you. I like to look for different experiences so I don’t limit myself to looking just at Sociology-specific experiences. I’ve found that employers value a diverse background. It makes you stand out from the other candidates.

Why should students take part in an International Internship?

If you’re considering doing an international internship, Hurray! It’s going to be an adventure. Not only will it look good on your CV (so I’m told) but it will “open your eyes and broaden your horizons” and all that. Do your research and make it easy for the company to employ you as an intern. It’s good to keep in mind that companies don’t have to hire you and it might be easier for them to hire someone from their own country. However, if you show them your passion and drive, people are likely to be more receptive. Expect lots of rejections from potential employers; I talked to an intern who emailed 100 companies and only got 10 replies. Don’t take it personally and don’t let it get you down- It’s worth it!

What has your internship been like?

Interning in the UK has been nothing short of amazing, definitely humbling. The learning curve is steep- you’re thrown in the deep end and you have to swim; but don’t worry. It’s an internship and people are normally quite understanding and know that you are still a student and are learning. Give yourself a break and just do your best.

I work as a junior-level designer and more recently, a motion graphics artist. I started off doing internal jobs for them to test out my skill-levels and gradually got given real work for clients. The daily practice of the Adobe Creative Suite has been essential in my growth as a designer. I knew the basics when I came in but anytime I had questions, I googled them and if I couldn’t figure it out on my own, I asked for help.

I’m sure you already know this but it’s worth mentioning anyway- don’t be afraid to ask questions and put yourself out there. Make known all your skills and be willing to help. Always be doing something, if not, ask if anyone needs help. It’s okay to do the unglamorous jobs, you are an intern. Best not to think too highly of ourselves. If they see you can be trusted with little, they will be more confident in trusting you with more responsibilities. Be willing to try new things but be honest about your skills. The way I’ve learnt is by saying yes to jobs I’d never done before but felt I could probably figure it out. I would make sure to say that I didn’t know if I could do it but if they were willing to let me try, I could figure it out. That way, they knew I might not be able to do it but I was willing to try. You know yourself and your skills well enough to be able to gauge what you should be able to handle, so play it by ear and don’t be afraid.

My experience has been very diverse, which isn’t always the case; I just started working in HR once a week which has taught me about how companies are run and has given me insight into what employers look for in potential employees. I think this knowledge of what to do and not to do will be very helpful when I’m applying for jobs in the future. My colleagues have also been really helpful and supportive. The professional experience and connections I have gained have been invaluable and will undoubtedly be beneficial when I’m applying for jobs after I graduate.

Thanks for making it this far (or fast-forwarding to the last paragraph)! I wish you all the best with your internships, international or not, be proud of yourself for looking for ways to enrich your education. Here are some words of encouragement that helped me on my journey – Don’t be afraid to fail & you will never feel ready. Don’t worry! No one ever does. if you need a confidence boost / a picker-upper, I recommend watching an inspirational TED talk. Oh! One more thing, always carry a notebook & pen. Always as in always. Believe me, it will come in handy.

Have fun!

 

Thanks to Rachel Yee for contributing this blog post. 

Spend the summer learning about the world with Penn State Faculty

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FacLedProgramsIn the College of the Liberal Arts there are fourteen different faculty led study abroad programs for the summer of 2015. Ranging from studying Islam and Intercultural Dialogue in Morocco to Mexican Art and Culture in Puebla, there is a faculty led program to fit everyone’s interests.

Faculty led programs allow students to have a global Penn State experience,  developing better relationships with faculty members and other students. These programs are custom tailored and quite cost effective. Kathleen Schulberg a recent Penn State Alum who majored in Crime, Law and Justice took part in the summer program to Amsterdam studying the Dutch Criminal System. Kathleen said that, “The criminal justice study abroad program was an experience I will never forget. Besides the awesome field trips, you hear from guest lecturers from all over the world. The program is led by passionate Penn State professors who guide you throughout the whole learning process.”

In addition to the 14 summer programs offered by Liberal Arts faculty, there is also a semester long program offered in the spring in Athens. Click on the links below to learn more about these exciting faculty led programs. Applications for summer programs are due by February 1st.

Education Abroad Fair

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Ed Abroad FairThe Ed Abroad Fair is the place to go to learn about the wide variety of international education programs available to Penn State Students! There will be representatives from colleges, study abroad providers, faculty who lead study abroad programs and Global Penn State staff.

Come discover the perfect international program for you!

Check out this resource from Global Penn State to Get the Most out of the Ed Abroad Fair.

What: Education Abroad Fair

When: Wednesday, October 8, 2014 11am-4pm in the HUB-Alumni Hall

Where: The Alumni Hall in the HUB

Don’t forget to stop by the Career Enrichment Network’s table to learn about department preferred programs, international internships and enrichment funding!

See you at the fair!

Small Girls PR speaking to Penn State students on October 7

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By: Sean Donnelly
The co-founders of Small Girls PR, Mallory Blair and Bianca Caampued, will be visiting Penn State Tuesday, October 7 at 7:00 p.m. in 262 Willard to provide insight to those interested in the public relations industry. Hosted by the Public Relations Students Society of America (PRSSA), The small firm has come to represent brands as big as Pinkberry, Flavorpill, and GE since opening their doors three years ago. Forbes listed Small Girls as one of the top 15 women-led startups in 2013.

Small Girls has provided services to clients with a focus in consumer, fashion, technology and more. For all those interested in public relations and communications, this is a great opportunity to hear from the best in the business. If you would like more information regarding Small Girls PR and their visit, please contact Sean Donnelly through email at seandonnelly2015@gmail.com.

Student theatre organization to hold playwriting competition

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University Park acting troupe No Refund Theatre (NRT) is seeking entrants for Tell Me A Story, a short playwriting competition open to students of all Penn State campuses. The inaugural event will take place on April 24, 2015, with a firm submission deadline of March 1, 2015.

In an effort to expand their horizons, NRT is departing from their usual schedule of student-produced plays and musicals to spearhead a short playwriting competition, culminating in an evening of dramatic readings and awards ceremony, with prizes ranging from $50 to $500. Entries should be no longer than fifteen minutes long when read aloud, and must be original pieces, with each participant authoring only one script.

The Tell Me A Story contest committee will blindly review all submissions and choose eight to be read dramatically by a group of actors before an audience and a panel of distinguished judges from the community, student body, and university faculty. The authors of the top three plays will receive monetary awards as well as the opportunity to have their composition produced by NRT the following season.

For more information and to register for the competition, visit the Tell Me A Story page on the NRT website, norefundtheatre.weebly.com.

As You Like It at the American Shakespeare Center

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Students in English 197H took a trip to Staunton, Virginia to the American Shakespeare Center. There they saw a production of the play “As You Like It”. Here is one student’s account of the trip and the production. 

By: Anna Lombardo

A basic and widely understood requirement that must be met before attending a performance of a Shakespearean play is to understand what type of play is about to be performed. Someone who sits down in a theater expecting to see a comedy is likely to be disappointed upon witnessing the tragic cascade of dishonesty and murder that marks Shakespeare’s Othello. It’s important to recognize the literary template upon which a play performance is based in order to gain a fuller theatrical experience of that particular play (though as our viewing of Othello proved, some adaptations of the tragedies can have their funny moments).

When I sat down at the American Shakespeare Center (ASC) in Staunton, Virginia, to watch As You Like It, I already knew the story was a comedy. There were even times in my reading of the play when I unexpectedly laughed out loud, a reaction that admittedly few pieces of writing are able to induce—especially works from the 1600s that are written in Old English. However, one of the great aspects of the performance of As You Like It was how much funnier those already humorous scenes became when they were delivered by the ASC performers.

There are two reasons why I think the play was rendered so much more amusingly during the live performance. The first has to do with the relationships between not so much the characters, but the actors and actresses themselves. I sensed a real chemistry between the members of the cast that seemed to lend itself to a more enjoyable viewing experience. This goes beyond the simple matter of finding a good character fit for a part; I noticed the cast members smiling or laughing at the manner of delivery of another actor or actress in a way that seemed slightly out of character for the former. Their “out of character” behavior provided an atmosphere of playfulness and even informality that allowed the audience to feel comfortable and free to laugh. In comparison, many Shakespeare plays today—even comedies—maintain an undertone of tragedy or intense sophistication that unfortunately appears to have become standard for the famous playwright’s works. ASC’s version was refreshingly easygoing.

This is not to say, however, that the performance was unprofessional—which leads into my second point. The actors were clearly enormously gifted in the abilities and were so skilled that they could successfully engage the audience in order to enhance the quality of their performance, bringing real life to the jokes. In Act 1, Scene 2, Celia converses with her cousin about honesty and beauty. During the performance, the actress playing Celia approached a woman sitting on the stage and touched her chin, commenting “for those that she makes fair”—she removed her hand from the woman’s chin and hit her lightly on the leg—“she scarce makes honest.” The woman accepted the joke good-naturedly and the audience (as well as some of the cast) laughed. These kinds of interactions helped to break down the so-called fourth wall, directly engaging those who were watching the performance and by doing so, making the play that much more entertaining. Overall, the talent and passion with which these individuals did their jobs created a unique atmosphere found only at the ASC that heightened the most poignant qualities of As You Like It.

Curing Wanderlust: Liberal Arts Edition

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“How did you end up in Maine?”

If I had a dollar, ladies and gentlemen, for every time I heard this question, I may successfully be able to purchase the entire new autumn wardrobe I so long for. Alas, the magical dollar fairy does not appear when summoned, so I have to resign myself to answering. Depending on who is asking, there are two scenarios that will play out, and for the benefit of you readers, I would be more than glad to outline each. Also, my name is Shannon Ratliff, and I am a junior double majoring in History and English with a minor in Latin American studies, just in case you were wondering.  

The short, basic story is that I had an internship at the Maine Historical Society (MHS), a small, yet beautiful building set amidst newly renovated gardens in the middle of downtown Portland, Maine. My title was Library Intern, but the task I was assigned was so much more than sitting at a circulation desk. My supervisor for the summer, Nancy Noble, placed me in charge of processing my own collection for the Maine Historical Society catalogue. The collection was a gift to the society from the Women’s Literary Union (WLU), a generous donation of six huge archival boxes that contained everything from financial ledgers to receipts to correspondence reports to photographs that ranged from 1889 to 2011. Because the WLU is moving to a smaller location, they decided to grant their documents to the historical society for scholars to access for research purposes and to guarantee the safe preservation of their history for the years to come. My task was to comb through the documents, find a pattern that makes sense for cataloguing, and to meticulously organize the collection into series, volumes, and folders to allow the easy location of such documents for scholars and library patrons of the MHS.  

The longer, truer story is that I picked a location on a map this previous winter and decided to discover New England, lobster rolls and all. With my dual major of History and English, both under the Liberal Arts umbrella, the collection offered to me by Nancy was perfect for my interests. The WLU was one of the most prominent women’s study clubs in New England during the early 20th Century, and this combination of English and History fit my degrees perfectly. I had never been to New England before; born in Maryland, most of my travels always stayed below the good ol’ Mason-Dixon line.

At this point, you may be wondering what this has to do with my internship and the skills I have learned while completing it.   While we are at university, while we have the means and the time (most importantly, the time), to travel somewhere new for the summer, carving out a fresh life beyond our comfort zone is one of the most important aspects of a college experience, in my opinion. This is why I love my Liberal Arts degrees: you can go anywhere, you can do anything. Yes, you will be asked about a million times if you will be a teacher or a tour guide, but scholars of the College of the Liberal Arts understand the value of the foundations we learn while attending Penn State. Critical thinking, organization, and adapting to new situations are all skills we utilize in our fields every day in the classroom, but they also prepare us for the real world. Finding a new place to live, creating a new existence for yourself is never easy, but approaching these problems the way we are taught to approach a historical question or the meaning of literary metaphor is one of the best ways I have found to conquer pesky, yet basic questions of life, such as: “Where will I live for three months?” “How do I live like a local?” “Why don’t these dishes magically wash themselves?”    So yes, eking out a new existence is difficult, but I promise that if you try and follow your Liberal Arts hearts, you will be successful! Go anywhere! Email everywhere! There are so many options, from publishing agencies to historical societies to multi-national corporations, that the only question that will truly be the hardest to answer is this:   “Where do I want to live next summer?”

Watch this video to hear more from Shannon about her summer internship with the Maine Historical Society:

Knowledge Commons Now Open!

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The Knowledge Commons
Originally uploaded by pennstatelive

When I first approached Emily Rimland, Information Literacy Librarian at Penn State, over the summer with the idea about doing blog posts about the library, one of the first things mentioned to me was the new Tombros and McWhirter Knowledge Commons renovations at the Pattee/Paterno library.  However excited the librarians were about this project, it was too far away from completion to talk about over the summer.  Now, though, the dream is turning into a reality.

I’m sure you all noticed the construction around the library throughout the fall semester.  And if you have walked through the library with your eyes open, you’re aware that some major changes took place.  During my Monday-Wednesday-Friday forays into the library last semester, I saw a variety of changes, including: construction around the area near the Gateway Commons where the main desk used to be, the removal of the stuffed “Nittany” lion, and a variety of construction projects which blocked off the wings of the library for quite some time.  Though the noise and obstructions caused some minor inconveniences, I knew there were many great changes to come.

The Knowledge Commons is a multi-million dollar, privately funded enterprise focused on making the library more user-friendly for all.  The renovations take up the first floor of Pattee Library, and there is a new head librarian specifically in charge of this area: Joe Fennewald, a librarian from the Worthington Scranton campus.  There will be a larger, more updated computer lab, which houses easily the coolest feature of the new library: the librarians who will always be around to help out with any questions students have.  These librarians will be able to take their extensive knowledge of books, the CAT, new technologies, and other library resources to help you with anything you may need, be it advice on projects, papers, or just a refresher on some of the new tech available for you to use in and outside of class.  Though the library has so much for us already, the Knowledge Commons will make it that much easier for everyone to have immediate access to the best resource our library has to offer: the expertise of those who work there.  

This is a major deal for all undergraduates, as we will be able to use the library for so many additional resources, besides just searching for a book online and having it magically appear at the desk a few days later.  The Knowledge Commons is now up and running.  I hope you all get a chance to visit the Knowledge Commons and check out all the new features the library has to offer!

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