Arts and Entertainment

Penn State Laureate Russell launches website to spark conversations on dignity

Penn State Laureate Susan Russell has launched a new website, dignity.psu.edu. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn StateCreative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- 2014-15 Penn State Laureate Susan Russell, associate professor of theater, has created a website, dignity.psu.edu, to facilitate conversations among Penn Staters and individuals worldwide about the topic of “dignity,” which is the ongoing theme in her presentations during her laureate year.

According to Russell, dignity.psu.edu is a “living” website. “Updated daily, the website will become an internet library of videos, images, music, commentaries and texts intended to inspire us all to strive for our highest personal and collective goals by reaching into our responsibilities as global citizens. The DIGNITY website will add to a vital conversation about who we can be in the 21st century, and how we can contribute to the human experience by living and giving the DIGNITY we want for ourselves.”

This fall, students in Russell’s Women in Theatre class (Theatre 407) are leading the conversation by contributing content to the site and talking about what specific pieces of content mean to them. Anyone can join the discussion on the Disqus platform, which is available on the website. Each offering on the site has a discussion board where anyone can open up a discussion. The Disqus feature is intended to encourage constructive thoughts, ideas or experiences inspired by the content, and Russell’s students will lead and moderate conversations about what is possible in the world when we demonstrate dignity. In the spring, Russell’s History of Musical Theatre class (Theatre 408) will take over as content and conversation leaders.

Russell will give presentations at all Penn State campuses during her laureate year. Upcoming visits include Mont Alto on Sept. 18, Altoona on Sept. 24, Beaver on Sept. 26, Abington on Sept. 29 and Greater Allegheny on Oct. 8. For a complete schedule, visit dignity.psu.edu.

Last Updated December 9, 2014