UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Schreyer Honors College is inviting Penn State students to attend events in its "World in View" global discussion series, which continues this spring.
The series, which launched in October 2020, is a collaboration between the Honors College, Penn State faculty, and peers from universities and institutions around the world designed to help Schreyer Scholars build global perspectives. The virtual sessions are one hour long and are limited to a maximum of 25 students.
"World in View" discussions allow students to interact in small-group settings with experts in a variety of fields, including social justice, sustainability, history, and global health. Earlier events this semester examined how the pandemic has affected communication worldwide, altered business and healthcare in Sweden, and affected refugee populations on multiple continents. Other discussions explored how and why the practice of mindfulness has become more popular in contemporary America, and building post-secondary education in Africa.
John Affleck, Knight Chair in Sports Journalism and Society and journalism professor in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, hosted a discussion about mental health and sports during the fall semester and another in February with Dr. Matthew Smith of the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. The fall session was a general lecture with a Q&A, while students participated in small-group discussions in Zoom breakout rooms this spring before reconvening as a group.
Affleck was pleased to see Scholars in majors he doesn’t typically interact with, including those in STEM fields, participate in those events, which he believes is reflective of the value of the program.
“I think it’s understanding of a few things: That people are thinking about these other issues in general, and that our University and others all over the world are working on these different problems, and some of the solution strategies, while it might be in a completely different subject, might have something to do with what you are thinking about in your life,” Affleck said. “Maybe something these people are trying might be a solution to our problem in another field.”
In addition to helping build and foster partnerships between Penn State faculty and international peers, the series offers students of all disciplines more in-depth examinations of issues and topics that have wide-ranging impact.
“Tapping into the expertise of Penn State’s faculty is a great benefit to our Scholars,” said Schreyer Honors College Associate Dean Keefe B. Manning, a professor of biomedical engineering and surgery. “The World in View series takes those relationships a step further by introducing experts from around the world who add valued perspectives and knowledge to these important, timely discussions and expose students to ideas or information they may not have considered before.
“We believe that all Penn State students could similarly benefit by attending these events," added Manning.
The next event, “Nuclear Histories and Stories: Hiroshima & Nagasaki 75 Years After,” will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 8. The series continues through April. Penn State students may register for any of the upcoming World in View sessions by visiting shc.psu.edu/events. The Zoom links for each event will be provided upon registration.
About the Schreyer Honors College
The Schreyer Honors College promotes academic excellence with integrity, the building of a global perspective, and creation of opportunities for leadership and civic engagement. Schreyer Honors Scholars total nearly 2,000 students at University Park and 20 Commonwealth Campuses and represent 38 states and 27 countries. More than 15,000 Scholars have graduated with honors from Penn State since 1980.