Liberal Arts Voices

Read the perspectives of our current students

CLA Staff Achievements Honored at Banquet

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Last week, the College of the Liberal Arts hosted an awards reception at the Nittany Lion Inn to recognize its staff. Staff and faculty members from across the College gathered to celebrate another year of outstanding work. Reception attendees were able to mingle with colleagues, listen to the music of Irreconcilable Differences, and even enjoy some tasty treats (including a chocolate fountain or two).

At the reception, a select number of Liberal Arts staff members were recognized for their various achievements. Dean Susan Welch presented the following awards:

Exceptional Service Award:  Amy Barone, Administrative Support Coordinator in the English Department

Esprit Award: Karen Davis, Administrative Support Coordinator in the English Department

Rising Star Award: Jillian Balay, Program Assistant in the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Studies Office

LASER Awards: Sherri Bumbarger, Administrative Assistant in Alumni Relations and Development; Sondra Morrison, Staff Assistant in the Sociology Department; and Connie Stahlman, Financial Coordinator in the Liberal Arts Financial Office

Outstanding Teamwork Award: Liberal Arts IT Staff Members involved in the Win Install Team: Joseph Carlson, Melissa Price, Shane Freehauf, Scott Varrassa, Jasun Lego, and Bradley Winters

The following staff members were also recognized for ten years of service to the College: Steven Dotts, Intormation Technology Systems Design Specialist;  Kimberly Miller, Staff Assistant in the Anthropology Department; Clifford Evans, Clinical Specialist in the Psychology Department; Lynn Setzler, Administrative Support Assistant in the Department of English; Lisa Knudson, Res Coordinator in the Psychology Department; Diane Shoop, Research Project manager in the Sociology Department; Maxine Laslo, Staff Assistant in the Economics Department; and Bradley Winters, Information Technology Specialist.

The Dean also recognized numerous staff members currently working towards Associate, Bachelors, and Masters degrees for their efforts to continue their education, and members of the staff involved with CLA’s United Way Campaign for their service to the community.

Congratulations again to all of the College of the Liberal Arts staff. Your work is truly valued and appreciated!

For more information, visit the Liberal Arts Staff Awards website.  In the meantime, check out some photos of the event:

THON Countdown Begins!

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I know it’s been a little while since I’ve blogged for LAUS@PSU, but THON is rapidly approaching and I have been super busy. In less than two weeks, THON 2011 will be here and the thought is overwhelmingly exciting. It honestly feels like just yesterday that I was a new Committee Member going to my first shift for THON 2010. How fast time flies!

Since my last post, a lot has happened. First of all, my Committee went on the third canning weekend, this time, to my “home sweet home” in good old Landenberg, PA. It’s lovely this time of year, bitter cold and smells like mushrooms. What more could a group of college students ask for?

Let me say one thing, my Committee members are troopers! During this canning weekend, there were weather advisories warning people not to go outdoors because of the frigid temperatures. But that did not stop us. We were up bright and early on Saturday morning, greeted by a delicious breakfast spread that my wonderful mother put together. Once we cleared the sleepy fog from our eyes, we bundled ourselves up in tons of layers, piled into the cars, and set out for a day of canning FOR THE KIDS. That is really what kept us going that day – just knowing that we were helping to make a difference in the lives of many children and families.  Twenty minutes into canning, the tops of my fingers went numb – great. But we started doing last year’s line dance to stay warm and the donations started flowing! After a long day of a canning, we returned to the warmth of my house to defrost our bodies and count the money. We did a great job and I was proud of my Committee members for being so dedicated.

A few weeks after the canning weekend, my Co-Captain Louise and I hosted a pre-THON meeting for any interested faculty members. It was a small group but it was extremely productive and beneficial. We got to hear their ideas about increasing THON involvement and got some great starting points for For The Future (FTF). Right now, one of the events that we are planning for the faculty and staff THON weekend is a behind the scenes tour of the BJC. We will also teach the participants the line dance which they will eventually get to perform on stage…lucky them! These will be fun events and a great way for faculty and staff to see THON from a different perspective.

This weekend is the final canning weekend. My committee is not going canning this time.  Instead, I plan on going home for the weekend to rest up before the big weekend next week (February 18-20, 2011). THON is approaching very quickly, so get excited and make sure to come check it out. I promise, you won’t regret it! Look for a post next week about the week leading up to THON…it’s going to be a whirlwind but I can’t wait!

FTK,
Marlee

2010 United Way Office Olympics

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Last week liberal arts staff and faculty joined forces to participate in the third annual Office Olympics. The Office Olympics, sponsored by the liberal arts staff United Way Committee, is one of the yearly events designed to raise money for the Centre County United Way. Staff and faculty from across the College form teams to fundraise for the United Way and to compete in the office-themed Olympic games. This year, the teams raised a total of $3,782 – the largest amount raised to date.

After weeks of constant and rigorous practice the teams came well prepared for the Office Olympics. (For proof, see the video below of the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Studies team using LAUS Dwight as a target for rubber band archery).

The day began with the opening ceremony march around the Sparks lawn, led of course by Dean Solomon and her infamous tiki torch. After a few inspirational words from Dean Solomon, the teams were ready to tackle the dizzying array of events. In Rubber Band Archery, teams had to shoot rubber bands into distant and miniscule targets.  In Office Supply Shotput, teams had to try to throw calculator tape into trash bins that were tens, maybe even hundreds of feet away. In the Office Obstacle Course, team members had to undergo a series of taxing events including: the Office Chair Spin, Office Hoops, and the dreaded Shredded Paper Bag Toss. Teams also participated in the Enhanced Water Relay Race and Quittich – games which are perhaps too difficult to explain here.
 
After an exhausting day, Dean Welch led the awards ceremony. Trophies and gold, silver, and bronze “medals” were handed out to the winning teams of each event.  The Psychology team also received a special trophy at the awards ceremony for raising the most money – over $2,000.

Thank you to everyone who planned and participated in this year’s Office Olympics. A big thanks also goes out to those who sponsored a team and helped us raise such a significant amount of money for a great cause. 

Photos from the 2010 Office Olympics:

Liberal Arts Staff Social Media Workshop

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Today, College of the Liberal Arts staff participated in a Social Media Workshop sponsored by the Office of Undergraduate Studies.  Staff from a variety of departments, including Anthropology, Economics, English, Psychology, and Sociology, just to name a few, attended the workshop. The workshop was designed to get Liberal Arts staff familiar with social media and to begin thinking about ways to implement those technologies into their work environment.

Associate Dean Long, Ashley Tarbet, and Jillian Balay led the workshop.  The presenters talked about the ways that LAUS is currently making use of social media.  They discussed the LAUS blogs, Facebook page, Twitter accounts, Flickr account, and You Tube channel.  The presenters emphasized that the overall goal of LAUS’ new social media initiative is to build a community around the undergraduate experience in the College of the Liberal Arts at Penn State.

Take a look at a screencast of the Invitation to Participation Prezi below:

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Invitation to Participation on Prezi

The workshop participants had the opportunity to brainstorm ways that their departments or units could also begin using social media technology. Several Liberal Arts staff members thought that creating departmental Facebook pages would be a good way to begin to build an on-line community.  Others thought that Flickr pages would allow their units to draw attention to certain events by posting pictures in a more public domain.   

The workshop was a great way to bring Liberal Arts staff together to begin talking about ways that all Liberal Arts departments can use social media to build an even stronger community.

Take a look at some pictures from the workshop:

Thank you to everyone who attended the workshop.  We look forward to watching you develop your own social media technologies. 

Please feel free to share your thoughts and do some additional brainstorming by commenting on this blog post or adding to our Google Doc.

2010 Staff Awards

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Last week we celebrated the work and dedication of the College of the Liberal Arts staff at the CLA 2010 Staff Awards Reception. A few Liberal Arts Undergraduate Studies staff members were recognized in particular for their various achievements.

Karen Sones, CLJ and SOC Lead Adviser was presented with the Liberal Arts Staff Employee Recognition (LASER) Award. The LASER Award is the highest award a staff member in the College of the Liberal Arts can receive. See our original blog post about Karen’s award for more details. 

Next, Tracey Melnick, ENGL Lead Adviser was recognized for her thirty years of service to the College of the Liberal Arts. 

Lastly, several LAUS employees were presented with Staff Enrichment Awards in recognition of their continuing education. Heidi Shoemaker, daughter of LAUS staff member Holly Dickey, was awarded the Children of Staff Scholarship Award. Heidi is currently a freshman Nursing major at Penn State Altoona. Jillian Balay of LAUS received a Staff Scholarship Award to support her as she works towards her MA in Art History at University Park.

Congratulations again to all of our LAUS staff.  We appreciate everything you do!

Visit the College of the Liberal Arts web site for a complete list of the 2010 CLA staff award winners.

LAUS Radio: Episode 2

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LAUS Radio Episode 2
Originally uploaded by LAUSatPSU

Episode 2 Recap:

Geoff Halberstadt, LAUC Faculty Senator and AAC Delegate, joins LAUS Radio and discusses the latest UPUA news, including the recent resignation of the representative for the commonwealth campuses. Geoff also gives an update on LAUC’s preparation for THON.

Also, Ashley Tarbet, CLA Undergraduate Enrichment Coordinator, discusses CLA’s recent successful internship information session: The Internship Search. Ashley talks about internship opportunities and resources for Liberal Arts undergraduates.

Associate Dean Long and Heather Summerlin highlight LAUS social media news and updates and encourage undergraduates to start participating.

Jillian Balay announces several LAUS staff awards and achievements.

LAUS Radio Episode 2

To subscribe to LAUS Radio through iTunes, click here.

LAUS Staff Member Wins Prestigious Award

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Karen Sones
Originally uploaded by LAUSatPSU

The Liberal Arts Office of Undergraduate Studies (LAUS) would like to congratulate one of our staff members, Karen Sones, Lead Adviser in Crime, Law, and Justice and Sociology, on receiving the Liberal Arts Staff Employee Recognition (LASER) Award. The LASER Award is the highest award a staff member in the College of the Liberal Arts can receive. Recipients of the award have demonstrated superior performance in their position, have exceeded expectations, and have significantly impacted the College for the better.

Karen has been with the College of the Liberal Arts for thirteen of her almost twenty three years as an employee at Penn State. She began in the Liberal Arts as an adviser in the Crime, Law, and Justice and Sociology Departments. She is currently the Lead Adviser in the same department. Karen’s main responsibilities include advising students; supervising advisers in her work unit; and serving as project lead for College initiatives as well as University sponsored programs for the College, such as FTCAP and Accepted Student Offer Sessions. Additionally, Karen supports the department by overseeing a student newsletter and serving as a member of the Justice Association Advisory board, SOC Undergraduate Committee, and CLJ Undergraduate Committee.

In addition to her job related duties, Karen has extended her service to the University community at large. For the last ten years she has devoted her time to the Fast Start Mentor Program as well as taking an active role in adult learner advocacy by serving as a member of the Hendrick Best Practices Subcommittee for the Commission for Adult Learners. In other student support roles, Karen is a member of the LGBT Support Network and is a mentor for foreign exchange students.

Congratulations on this prestigious award, Karen!

See the Liberal Arts Staff Awards web site for a complete list of 2009-2010 recipients.  

Staff Profile: Nonie Ebeling

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Nonie Ebeling
Originally uploaded by LAUSatPSU

There’s No Place Like State College

Nonie Ebeling, the director of major gifts for the College of the Liberal Arts, would be a perfect overseas tour guide. She has traveled extensively throughout India and Central America, visiting sites like the Taj Mahal, the beaches of Goa, Mayan ruins in Honduras, and volcanoes and coffee plantations in El Salvador, to name a few.

But the globe-trotting Nonie feels right at home in Happy Valley and jumped at the chance to work for her alma mater. She started with the College of the Liberal Arts on November 30, 2009. “I was attracted to the idea of coming back to Penn State because of the opportunity to work with a great team of high-achieving professionals,” Nonie says. “I’m also eager to tell everyone about the great work happening at this top-notch institution.”

Nonie graduated from Penn State in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in speech pathology and audiology and went on to earn a master’s degree in public health and education studies from the University of Alabama. While living in Atlanta, she was a public health fellow for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nonie also previously worked in nonprofit development for organizations like the U.S. Fund for UNICEF and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Most recently, she served as the senior development officer for the Southern Environmental Law Center in Atlanta.

“I hope to use my twelve years of fundraising experience to connect with Liberal Arts alumni in meaningful ways,” Nonie says. “I’d like to engage them in ways that not only support the financial goals of the college, but also add value to their personal lives.”

In addition to development, Nonie’s other professional interest is environmental health. She has published several academic articles in the field and co-wrote a textbook chapter titled “Environmental Justice” for the book Teaching Strategies for Environmental Health. Nonie loves sports, especially Penn State and Georgia Tech football, and is also excited to experience State College’s performing arts scene. She lives with her husband and fellow alum, Don Wilson, her 12-year-old daughter, and two Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs.

Please welcome this world traveler back to Penn State!

-Written by Virginia Harrison, Administrative Support Assistant, Development and Alumni Relations 

Staff Profile: Nicki Hendrix

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Nicki Hendrix
Originally uploaded by LAUSatPSU

Georgia Native Races North

Nicki Hendrix, the new major gifts officer in the College of the Liberal Arts, is used to finishing ahead of the competition. The Georgia native holds the 2006 Athens (Georgia) Area Humane Society Soapbox Derby title, which she won while riding a converted kayak. Now, she’s applying those same winning ways to her job in development at Penn State. “I’m thrilled to be here,” Nicki says. “In my new position, I hope to increase the engagement of Liberal Arts alumni and expand giving to the college.”

Nicki started on October 19, 2009, having brought a wealth of diverse talents and experiences with her to Penn State. She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in history and has worked in the advertising, marketing, public relations, and sales fields. Most recently, she held the title of assistant director for corporate and foundation relations at her alma mater, where she also previously served as the director of development for the College of Environment and Design and as an external affairs officer. “I look forward to being part of a top land-grant institution,” Nicki says. “I’m ready to apply my skills to the advancement of Penn State.”

When Nicki, who is working on a master’s in historic preservation from the University of Georgia, relocated north, she found the perfect place to live — Victorian Bellefonte. She and her husband, Christian Olmsted, a State College native, are restoring their Victorian-era home and enjoying the local restaurants. They are kept company by their three dogs, Judah, Nibbler, and Edgar; a cat, Honks; and a horse, A Boy Named Sioux.

In addition to history, Nicki is interested in environmental conservation. She watches hundreds of hours of film per year as a member of the Athens, Georgia Eco-Film Festival governing board. “I’m very environmentally aware and creative, and I like to apply those interests to everything I do,” she says. She also volunteers as a court-appointed special advocate for children in foster care.

Please welcome this versatile woman to Penn State!

-Written by Virginia Harrison, Administrative Support Assistant, Development and Alumni Relations

Supporting Marie, her Family and Survivors in Haiti

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We all have watched the continued devastating news about the disaster in Haiti. As we mentioned in a recent post, the disaster has hit close to home for one of our co-workers. LAUS adviser Marie Villefranche is from Haiti and has several family members in Port-au-Prince.

She has not heard from all of her family members, but has reports from some who have survived; they are living in the street right now and have not had regular access to food or water. Marie is working on plans to move her family members out of Port-au-Prince and place them with relatives in the countryside who were not affected by the earthquake. The logistics of this are costly and difficult.

To find out how you can help, please contact Gay Catherman at glw1@psu.edu or Michele Moslak at mwm5@psu.edu. We are trying to pool our resources in a coordinated effort to help Marie and her family on January 22nd, so please contact Gay or Michele if you are interested in participating.

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