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Creating Healthy Communities

Creating Healthy Communities
Creating Healthy Communities

A liberal arts degree provides a versatile foundation that is highly valuable for a career in health, wellness, or medicine.  

Through its emphasis on critical thinking, communication, and a broad understanding of human behavior and society, a liberal arts education equips you with the skills needed to navigate and address complex health issues. Courses in psychology, sociology, and ethics enhance your ability to understand diverse patient needs, promote effective communication, and approach health challenges with a holistic perspective.

Additionally, the research and analytical skills developed through a liberal arts curriculum prepare you for roles in public health, healthcare administration, and medical research. By integrating interdisciplinary knowledge and a deep understanding of human contexts, a liberal arts degree empowers you to contribute meaningfully to improving health outcomes and advancing wellness initiatives.

A liberal arts degree integrates knowledge of human behavior and societal dynamics, fostering key transferable skills essential for creating healthy communities, such as:

  • Critical thinking
  • Communication
  • Research and analysis
  • Cultural competency
  • Problem-solving
  • Ethical reasoning
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Interested in learning more about what you can do with a liberal arts degree?

Future Students

Majors

Explore our degrees designed for those interested in mental health, counseling, holistic well-being, and medicine. Our programs will equip you with the skills to excel and turn your passions into a rewarding career.

While this page shows many opportunities and examples of what our students and alumni have done related to this area of interest, this is not an exhaustive list of majors or experiences.

Out-of-Classroom Experiences

Education Abroad Destinations

Poland

Students in HIST/JST 426 traveled to Poland for seven days as part of The Holocaust and History program, deepening their understanding of the Holocaust and pre-war Jewish life by visiting key historical sites.
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South Africa

Students in WMNST 399, The Quest for Reproductive Justice in South Africa, collaborated with reproductive justice organizations and conducted research for the South African Women’s Legal Center in Cape Town, examining the history and politics of reproductive justice.
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Netherlands

Ireland

Italy

Spain

Ecuador

United Kingdom

Post-Graduation Opportunities

  • Law school
  • MBA
  • Graduate school to study public health, health administration, clinical psychology, nursing, medicine, biomedical sciences, health informatics, nutrition and dietetics, occupational therapy, and counseling
  • Community Mental Health Counselor
  • Cultural Competency Specialist
  • Public Health Social Worker
  • Behavioral Health Specialist
  • Community Outreach Coordinator
  • Health Equity Advocate
  • School Mental Health Professional
  • Crisis Intervention Specialist
  • Doctor
  • Public Health Analyst
  • Occupational Therapist
  • Bioethics
  • Healthcare
  • Mental Health Services
  • Public Health
  • Social Services
  • Education
  • Corporate Wellness
  • Human Resources
  • Research and Academia
  • National Institute of Mental Health
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • American Psychological Association
  • Mental Health America
  • Kaiser Permanente
  • The Trevor Project
  • The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
  • Educational Institutions (e.g., University Counseling Centers)
Alumni Career Conversations

Careers in...

Alivia Peterson sits on a desk in front of chalkboard as part of a photoshoot for the Minorities in Sports at Penn State 2025–26 executive board.
Student LeaderStudent Organizations

Alivia Peterson

’26
Psychology
|
Kinesiology (minor)
|
Sports Studies (minor)
Psychology
Kinesiology (minor)
Sports Studies (minor)
Alivia is deeply involved in work that reflects her commitment to mental health, research and advocacy. She works off-campus as a behavioral health technician with Hummingbird ABA Therapy, supporting children with ADHD and autism spectrum disorder through individualized treatment plans. On campus, she serves as president of Minorities in Sports at Penn State, advocating for greater diversity in sports-related careers and fostering a supportive community for students of color.
Mayuri Purani smiles and wears a blue Penn State College of the Liberal Arts peer adviser quarter-zip sweatshirt while standing outdoors on campus.
MentoringPsychology

Mayuri Purani

’26
Psychology
Psychology
As a Liberal Arts peer adviser. Mayuri enjoyed speaking with students about her Penn State experience and offering realistic, authentic advice to help them navigate their college years. Her psychology coursework proved especially helpful in ensuring she focused on students’ needs and helped them leave meetings with a sense of direction.
Emmanuel Kraft stands outside in a brown suit.
Student LeaderStudent Organizations

Emmanuel Kraft

’26
Political Science
|
Communication Arts and Sciences
|
Public Policy (IUG)
Political Science
Communication Arts and Sciences
Public Policy (IUG)
Emmanuel cofounded the Food Recovery Network (FRN). The student-led volunteer organization collects surplus food from all five campus dining halls and athletic facilities and delivers it to community partners such as the Lion’s Pantry, State College Food Bank and Abba Java Coffeehouse. In three years since founding, FRN has donated more than 35,000 meals to those in need.
Barron Owusu wears a suit while sitting on a bright orange chair in front of plants.
Student LeaderStudent Organizations

Barron Owusu

’26
Psychology
|
Economics
|
Information Sciences and Technology (minor)
Psychology
Economics
Information Sciences and Technology (minor)
Barron is is vice president of the African Students Association and president of the University’s chapter of the NAACP. In his role at the NAACP Barron started with a vision for the organization that looked to improve the divisions between members of the Black diaspora and bring awareness to marginalized communities both on campus and beyond. “Issues such as poverty, health care disparities and unequal access to resources continue to impact minority communities. While the work may seem small, having an impact on a local community can create lasting change.”
Kayla stands in front of wall that features pictures from the stock market along with the Marex logo.
Chapel InternsInternship

Kayla Lynch

’25
Economics
Economics
During her summer at Marex Environmental, Kayla worked on client-facing projects that supported sustainability goals through environmental commodities like RECs and carbon offsets. She I gained hands-on experience with compliance markets and learned how evolving state and federal policies shape these systems. “[Through this internship], I discovered a niche in the business and finance world that genuinely excites me—sustainability and energy markets.”
Benjamin Lindgren wears a blue shirt and khakis in front of Whole Foods Market office sign.
Chapel InternsInternship

Benjamin Lindgren

’26
International Politics
|
Community, Environment, and Development
|
Spanish (minor)
International Politics
Community, Environment, and Development
Spanish (minor)
Benjamin worked with Whole Food Markets in Austin, Texas over summer 2025 as a sustainability intern. There he gained direct insight into sustainable food policy’s applications in a large-scale corporate environment. “I am now able to visualize how stakeholders achieve complex business deals to meet the objective of successfully decarbonizing a supply chain.”