Liberal Arts Experiences

Each Liberal Arts Experience is unique

But they all share similar traits: a sense of curiosity and exploration, a desire to learn and grow, and a yearning to make the world a better place. Experience some of that “experience” yourself through the stories of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

Student Experiences

Read stories about our students making a difference on campus and in the community, and their experiences inside and beyond the classroom.

I have received extensive support from the Career Enrichment Network through career coaching and workshops, as well as by taking the LA 103 professional development course this semester, which has been an amazing opportunity to learn more about beginning a career post-graduation.

Felicity Sarnoff

InternshipPolitical Science

Xiomara Larkin

’26

Political Science

Public Policy (IUG master's degree)

History (minor)

Political Science

Public Policy (IUG master's degree)

History (minor)

In summer 2023, Xiomara interned with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation for the U.S. House of Representatives. During her time in Washington, Xiomara focused on college-level outreach to provide students the opportunity to work on the Hill. Her goal was to bring in diverse political perspectives to help bridge the gap in representation through students. Throughout her internship, she also worked closely with the Foreign Affairs Committee, which sparked her interest in foreign affairs and international relations.

Undergrad Research

Nicholas Banerjee

University of Edinburgh

Nicholas spent a summer in Scotland conducting workplace behavioral research, blending his backgrounds in psychology and labor and human resources. His work centered on fostering innovation and creativity in professional environments.

Undergrad Research

Caden Vitti

Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) Fellowship Program

The PIRE fellowship allowed Caden to travel to Puerto Rico to conduct research on how Spanish-English speakers who use both languages process the use of nonbinary pronouns.

Undergrad Research

Ena Altier

Cognitive Aging and Neuroimaging (CAN) Lab

Ena investigated how aging changes memory performance and the brain processes involved in remembering past experiences. “I do not think you necessarily need a lot of background experience,” she says about getting involved in research. “As long as you are willing to learn, focus, and help with tasks, you can set yourself up for success.”

Undergrad Research

Janae Sayler

Underrepresented Perspectives Lab

As a research assistant, Janae presented her findings about safety cues in health care for sexual and gender diverse populations. Her findings argued that safety cues in health care environments, such as name tags with pronouns or pride flags in offices, increased people’s sense of belonging and safety for their identity.

Entrepreneur

David Hayes

’26

Criminology

Psychology (minor)

Criminology

Psychology (minor)

David has used some of his time at Penn State to become a budding entrepreneur. After completing his first year, he founded David’s Dough, a baking company specializing in made-from-scratch cookies. “I ran through my savings my first year and really wanted to find a job I loved and was good at. With a traditional job I felt as though I was simply trading time for money, so I tried figuring out what I loved and was good at. I began by just selling cookies to my friends at home and eventually took it here.”

InternshipPolitical Science

Xiomara Larkin

’26

Political Science

Public Policy (IUG master's degree)

History (minor)

Political Science

Public Policy (IUG master's degree)

History (minor)

Undergrad Research

Nicholas Banerjee

University of Edinburgh

Undergrad Research

Caden Vitti

Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) Fellowship Program

The PIRE fellowship allowed Caden to travel to Puerto Rico to conduct research on how Spanish-English speakers who use both languages process the use of nonbinary pronouns.

Undergrad Research

Ena Altier

Cognitive Aging and Neuroimaging (CAN) Lab

Undergrad Research

Janae Sayler

Underrepresented Perspectives Lab

Entrepreneur

David Hayes

’26

Criminology

Psychology (minor)

Criminology

Psychology (minor)

InternshipPolitical Science

Xiomara Larkin

’26

Political Science

Public Policy (IUG master's degree)

History (minor)

Political Science

Public Policy (IUG master's degree)

History (minor)

5,500

undergraduate students

800

students participating in out-of-classroom experiences

870

graduate students

1,500

undergraduates met with a career coach

events hosted by the Career Enrichment Network

of students identity as a member of a minority group

Most diverse college at Penn State University Park

Majors of Our Students

76%

social sciences

13%

humanities

languages

area and interdisciplinary studies

Faculty and Staff Experiences

Read stories about our faculty and the amazing work they do examining the past in order to make meaningful changes in the present that lead to a promising future, and the incredible staff who are so deeply committed to student, faculty, and alumni success.

AnthropologyArchaeologyFaculty ResearchMatson Museum of Anthropology

James Doyle

Director, Matson Museum of Anthropology

A former assistant curator of art of the ancient Americas at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, James Doyle has been making a big impact on the Matson Museum of Anthropology at Penn State, which opened in its new location inside the new Welch Building in 2025.

Faculty Research

Daryl Cameron

Professor of Psychology

Sherwin Early Career Professor in the Rock Ethics Institute

Professor of Psychology

Sherwin Early Career Professor in the Rock Ethics Institute

Daryl Cameron’s research explores how people perceive and respond to empathy—especially when it’s simulated by artificial intelligence. Through his work with the Consortium on Moral Decision-Making and his Empathy and Moral Psychology Lab, Cameron investigates the ethical and psychological implications of AI-generated empathy, considering both its potential to fulfill human social needs and the risks of outsourcing emotional connection. His interdisciplinary approach aims to deepen understanding of moral behavior in an age of rapidly evolving technology.

Faculty ResearchHistoryRichards Center

Rachel Shelden

Director of the George and Ann Richards Civil War Era Center

Rachel is an associate professor of history who focuses her resarch on the political and constitutional history of the the long nineteenth century—encompassing 1789 to 1914.

Faculty ResearchHistoryMiddle East Studies

Laura Robson

William L. and Donna F. Oliver-McCourtney Professor of History

A scholar who specializes in the Middle East and especially the Arab world, Laura and a fellow scholar launched a digital humanities project to tell the stories of and raise awareness and scholarship about stateless people.

AnthropologyFaculty AchievementFaculty Research

Kirk French

Teaching Professor of Anthropology

In the summer of 2022, Kirk’s documentary—which explores environmental challenges faced by a Mexican community—was nominated for a Mid-Atlantic Emmy.

AnthropologyArchaeologyFaculty ResearchMatson Museum of Anthropology

James Doyle

Director, Matson Museum of Anthropology

Faculty Research

Daryl Cameron

Professor of Psychology

Sherwin Early Career Professor in the Rock Ethics Institute

Professor of Psychology

Sherwin Early Career Professor in the Rock Ethics Institute

Faculty ResearchHistoryRichards Center

Rachel Shelden

Director of the George and Ann Richards Civil War Era Center

Rachel is an associate professor of history who focuses her resarch on the political and constitutional history of the the long nineteenth century—encompassing 1789 to 1914.

Faculty ResearchHistoryMiddle East Studies

Laura Robson

William L. and Donna F. Oliver-McCourtney Professor of History

AnthropologyFaculty AchievementFaculty Research

Kirk French

Teaching Professor of Anthropology

In the summer of 2022, Kirk’s documentary—which explores environmental challenges faced by a Mexican community—was nominated for a Mid-Atlantic Emmy.

AnthropologyArchaeologyFaculty ResearchMatson Museum of Anthropology

James Doyle

Director, Matson Museum of Anthropology

782 full-time faculty

325

tenured faculty

tenure-track faculty

374

non-tenure track faculty (full-time)

159

non-tenure track faculty (part-time)

122 Named and Distinguished Professors

named professors

Liberal Arts professors

distinguished professors

Sparks professors

early career professors and
career development professors

University
endowed fellows

Evan Pugh University
Professors

named deans chairs
and directorships

305

full-time staff

Alumni Experiences

Read stories about the incredible impact our alumni have on their alma mater, their professions, and the communities in which they live through their leadership, engagement, and philanthropy.

My style or way of mentorship is to give mentees the time and space to identify the things they are very passionate about and get them to a point where they can clearly articulate why they enjoy it, as when it comes down to any accomplishment and what you do after college, the common thread is what your interests are and what you want to do. My mentorship is a tool. The only reason I exist is to be an informational resource and a surface to bounce ideas off of. The mentee does the work to materialize it, and I direct them to appropriate grant opportunities, help them enhance their applications to programs or introduce them to other people.

Ben Stewart

HistoryInternational PoliticsMentorship

Najee Rodriguez

’23

International Politics

History

International Politics

History

Najee’s alumni mentor helped guide him toward internship opportunities. “As a first-generation college student, it was extremely difficult to acclimate to college. My mentor has made me feel confident about the future that I want to have for myself. The magnitude of impact that Sharon has had in my life is indescribable.”

Mentorship

Taylor Nelson

’17

Criminology

Information Systems and Statistical Analysis (minor)

Criminology

Information Systems and Statistical Analysis (minor)

During his time at Penn State, Taylor was involved in the Liberal Arts Alumni Mentor Program, where he was matched with a mentor who helped him prepare for life after graduation. Taylor’s mentor was a business owner, and was able to give Taylor valuable input on his resume and networking skills. Taylor visited his mentor at his Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, company, where he talked to different employees and developed the confidence needed to pitch his background, education and professional goals.

AlumniMentorshipRussianSchreyer ScholarSpanish

Ben Stewart

’15

Russian

Spanish

Russian

Spanish

Ben has spent the last decade in Ukraine as an educator and translator helping others better understand history. After completing his bachelor’s degree at Penn State, Ben joined the Peace Corps as a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) Higher Education Volunteer in Ukraine. He continues to stay connected to Penn State as a mentor for the Liberal Arts Alumni Mentor Program.

Enrichment FundingInternational ResearchUndergrad Research

Sarah Paterno

’22

Anthropology

Psychology

Anthropology

Psychology

Sarah received enrichment funding to spend two months on an archaeological excavation in Bolivia. “This project has taught me how archaeological research is carried out, and I believe it has prepared me for continuing research at a graduate level,” she said.

Career Enrichment NetworkCommunication Arts and SciencesEducation AbroadEnglishEnrichment FundingPaterno FellowsPhilosophyResearch

Daniel Zahn

’20

English

Philosophy

Communication Arts and Sciences

English

Philosophy

Communication Arts and Sciences

Paterno Fellow alumnus Daniel Zahn conducted linguistics research in Bassila, Benin, focusing on everyday language use. He received enrichment funding from the Liberal Arts Career Enrichment Network to support his experience.

Enrichment FundingGermanMultidisciplinary StudiesPaterno Fellows

Kiara Smith

Letters, Arts, and Sciences

Nutritional Sciences

German minor

Letters, Arts, and Sciences

Nutritional Sciences

German minor

Kiara spent a summer in Berlin earning credits towards her German minor. “The Paterno Fellows Program and the College of the Liberal Arts helped to fund my trip, which meant that while I was in Berlin I was able to focus more on my experiences and learning than on calculating and worrying about the cost of everything. Instead of staying in my room to save money, I went out and took day trips to places just outside of Berlin and a weekend trip out of Poland; I went to museums and cafes and bars where I got to meet Germans and make German friends.”

HistoryInternational PoliticsMentorship

Najee Rodriguez

’23

International Politics

History

International Politics

History

Mentorship

Taylor Nelson

’17

Criminology

Information Systems and Statistical Analysis (minor)

Criminology

Information Systems and Statistical Analysis (minor)

AlumniMentorshipRussianSchreyer ScholarSpanish

Ben Stewart

’15

Russian

Spanish

Russian

Spanish

Enrichment FundingInternational ResearchUndergrad Research

Sarah Paterno

’22

Anthropology

Psychology

Anthropology

Psychology

Career Enrichment NetworkCommunication Arts and SciencesEducation AbroadEnglishEnrichment FundingPaterno FellowsPhilosophyResearch

Daniel Zahn

’20

English

Philosophy

Communication Arts and Sciences

English

Philosophy

Communication Arts and Sciences

Enrichment FundingGermanMultidisciplinary StudiesPaterno Fellows

Kiara Smith

Letters, Arts, and Sciences

Nutritional Sciences

German minor

Letters, Arts, and Sciences

Nutritional Sciences

German minor

HistoryInternational PoliticsMentorship

Najee Rodriguez

’23

International Politics

History

International Politics

History

213

student/alumni mentoring relationships

100K

liberal arts alumni

760

donor-funded accounts in the college

$ 0 M+

provided in scholarships (2021–22)

$ 0 k

provided in enrichment funding last year

Liberal Arts Experiences

Each Liberal Arts Experience is unique

Student Experiences

Nicholas Banerjee

Faculty and Staff Experiences

Daryl Cameron

Alumni Experiences

Taylor Nelson

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