Liberal Arts

Guggenheim award winners from Penn State

Married Penn State Guggenheim Fellows a rarity

5/21/13

When both partners of a married couple are building careers in academia, it can be a struggle to live in the same town. Penn State distinguished professors Judith Kroll and David Rosenbaum have always made it their priority. Whether teaching, conducting research abroad or on sabbatical, the two have made every effort to live in the same place.

Wanner named Barry Director of Paterno Fellows Program

5/20/13

Catherine Wanner, professor of history, has been appointed to the Rick and Sue Barry Directorship of the Paterno Fellows Program in the College of the Liberal Arts at Penn State, beginning July 1. She will succeed Jack Selzer, who is the founding director of the college’s leadership program and who will return to teaching and research responsibilities as the Paterno Family Professor of Literature. The Paterno Fellows Program is an academic excellence and leadership program for students in the College of the Liberal Arts, and a unique partnership between the college and the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State.

Benner's Hill on the Gettysburg Battlefied

Guide adds new voices to history of Gettysburg battle

5/15/13

For three days in July 1863, thousands of Gettysburg civilians and tens of thousands of soldiers were caught up in a battle that left often conflicting data and anecdotes. This makes writing about the Battle of Gettysburg both a dream and a nightmare for Civil War historians, according to a Penn State researcher.

Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Juliana Mercer is shown on patrol in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

World Campus military and veteran student enrollment continues to rise

5/9/13

The flexibility of online education is ideal for many adults who want to learn when and where it's convenient to them, and especially beneficial to active-duty military service members deployed in a war zone or where Internet access is limited. Since Penn State's World Campus launched 15 years ago, enrollment by active-duty military service members and veterans has grown steadily -- and more than 120 percent in the last four years.

Obese students' childbearing risk varies with high school obesity rates

5/9/13

For young women in high school, the risk of childbearing may depend on the prevalence of obesity in their schools, according to sociologists, who found that as the prevalence of obesity rises in a school, so do the odds of obese high school students bearing children.

three women researchers sitting around a table

The Mexican Children of Immigrants Program: Interpreting the numbers

5/8/13

Language barriers, fear of deportation, and community prejudice are problems often faced by Mexican immigrants that contribute to dramatic disparities in health and well-being between immigrants and the native-born U.S. population. These problems may be compounded by family and community characteristics, making it especially difficult for the children of immigrants to receive the basic services needed to promote a healthy future. Such complexities are the focus of a three-pronged program of investigation by a research team at Penn State's Penn State's Population Research Institute (PRI).

Undergraduate Thesis Award winner, finalists announced

5/2/13

The Penn State University Libraries announce the results of the 2013 Outstanding Undergraduate Thesis Award. Top winner of the $1000 award is Katherine Liss, nursing, for her thesis "Heart Failure Patients' Experiences of Living with Heart Failure."

School of Nursing to offer dual-title doctorate in nursing and bioethics

5/1/13

Penn State’s School of Nursing is the newest academic unit to offer a dual-title doctoral degree in conjunction with the bioethics program administered by the Rock Ethics Institute in the College of the Liberal Arts.

Liberal Arts college to host live commencement on Web

4/30/13

For the first time, the College of the Liberal Arts will stream the May 4 commencement ceremony live on the Web for families, friends and graduates who cannot attend the ceremony at the Bryce Jordan Center, and for World Campus graduates and families.

Students honored for ethical leadership

4/29/13

The Rock Ethics Institute at Penn State has selected two Penn State students as the recipients of its 2013 Stand Up Awards. These students exhibited extraordinary ethical leadership during their time at Penn State and each leaves behind a legacy that will continue to play an important role in addressing the ethical challenges our community faces. This year’s honorees are Taryn Noll, Class of 2013, Schreyer Honors Scholar and Paterno Fellow, majoring in communication arts and sciences at the University Park campus; and Gizelle Studevent, Class of 2013, member of the Penn State Lady Lions basketball team, majoring in crime, law, and justice at University Park.

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2013 Stand Up Award Winner Gizelle Studevent

4/29/13

Crime, law, and justice major Gizelle Studevent, a member of the Penn State women's basketball team, launched an organization of student athletes to help young children combat bullying. The group is Penn State Athletes Take Action.

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2013 Stand Up Award Winner Taryn Noll

4/29/13

Communication arts and sciences major Taryn Noll tells why she founded The Power of Pink, a support group for students dealing with difficult personal situations such as a family member's illness. The group supports awareness of breast cancer and the importance of such research.

Applications being accepted for scholarships to study Arabic at Penn State

4/26/13

Scholarships are now available for area high school students and Pennsylvania college students who plan to study the Arabic language this summer at The Language Institute of Penn State. In the intensive, four-week STARTALK Arabic Academy program, which meets Monday through Friday from June 13 to July 10, students can complete the equivalent of a full semester's study of Arabic and receive four academic credits for Penn State's Arabic 001 course.

Voting begins for 2013 Marathon Reading selection

4/25/13

Organizers of this year's Marathon Reading are inviting members of the Penn State community to choose the book for the 24-hour event, starting at 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5, on the Pattee-Paterno Library lawn. To vote, go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/D72CVDV and make a selection by May 6.

Literary scholar contributes to new 'Gatsby' film

4/23/13

A Penn State literary scholar, James L. W. West III, the Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of English, has played a key behind-the-scenes role as a consultant to the director and cast of the upcoming Warner Brothers film "The Great Gatsby." West is general editor of the Cambridge Edition of the Works of F. Scott Fitzgerald, and published Trimalchio: An Early Version of "The Great Gatsby" in 2000.