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 am most grateful for the Liberal Arts Career Enrichment Network and donors for the funding they have provided for me to engage in many of the professional development experiences I have had over the summers during my Penn State career.

Ben Lindgren

Campus LeaderChaiken CenterMentoringMentorship

Jasmin Tanner

’26

Global and International Studies

World Literature (minor)

Global and International Studies

World Literature (minor)

Jasmin started at Penn State Altoona before transferring to University Park as a second-year student. Together with Patty Klug, Jasmin created the “change-of-campus lead mentor” role at the Liberal Arts Chaiken Center. In this position, Jasmin has been given the opportunity to build the initial framework and foundation of the position and work to develop the mentorship, support and resources. She advocates for more resources on behalf of her peers to ensure other first-gen and change-of-campus students aren’t left to navigate campus alone.

Internship

Morgan Overman

African Studies

Finance

International Business (minor)

African Studies

Finance

International Business (minor)

Morgan had a summer analyst internship with Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. (TPH&Co.), the energy-focused business of Perella Weinberg Partners (PWP). As a summer analyst, Morgan was responsible for creating materials for management presentations, organizing due diligence tracking and responses, and conducting background research across verticals.

Chapel InternsInternship

Ben Lindgren

’26

International Politics

Community, Environment, and Development

Spanish (minor)

International Politics

Community, Environment, and Development

Spanish (minor)

Ben spent this past summer in Austin, Texas, working in corporate sustainability as an intern with Whole Foods Market and Amazon. In his role, he assessed the sustainability practices of Whole Foods’ private-brand suppliers, from farm operations to processing facilities, in support of Amazon’s company-wide decarbonization strategy.

CriminologyInternship

Kathryn Kearney

’28

Criminology

Communication Arts and Sciences (minor)

Criminology

Communication Arts and Sciences (minor)

Kathryn helped to resolve real-world disputes through empathy and public service this past summer in Washington, D.C. She interned at the Office of the Attorney General’s Public Advocacy Division (PAD), working in its Consumer Protection Mediation Program, which helps consumers settle issues with businesses without having to go to court.

Campus Leader

Lucy Schilling

’26

Spanish

Advertising/Public Relations

Journalism (minor)

Spanish

Advertising/Public Relations

Journalism (minor)

Lucy is currently the Penn State Blue Band president and one of her most meaningful memories came her first year, when she traveled with the band to the Rose Bowl, an experience that filled her with excitement and a deep sense of Penn State pride. “I remember the Rose Parade, marching down the street with a view of the California mountains, in perfect weather, in front of thousands of people. I remember being there alongside 300 of my best friends. I was proud to be in the Blue Band.”

Education AbroadSpanish

Lucy Schilling

’26

Spanish

Advertising/Public Relations

Journalism (minor)

Spanish

Advertising/Public Relations

Journalism (minor)

Lucy hopes to combine public relations and Spanish in her future career, similar to the independent study course she took during her summer education abroad experience in Cadiz, Spain. For the course, she managed the social media page of the faculty-led program she was part of — Spanish Language and Culture — including creating content, scheduling posts and making videos about the group’s experiences abroad.

Campus LeaderChaiken CenterMentoringMentorship

Jasmin Tanner

’26

Global and International Studies

World Literature (minor)

Global and International Studies

World Literature (minor)

Internship

Morgan Overman

African Studies

Finance

International Business (minor)

African Studies

Finance

International Business (minor)

Chapel InternsInternship

Ben Lindgren

’26

International Politics

Community, Environment, and Development

Spanish (minor)

International Politics

Community, Environment, and Development

Spanish (minor)

CriminologyInternship

Kathryn Kearney

’28

Criminology

Communication Arts and Sciences (minor)

Criminology

Communication Arts and Sciences (minor)

Campus Leader

Lucy Schilling

’26

Spanish

Advertising/Public Relations

Journalism (minor)

Spanish

Advertising/Public Relations

Journalism (minor)

Education AbroadSpanish

Lucy Schilling

’26

Spanish

Advertising/Public Relations

Journalism (minor)

Spanish

Advertising/Public Relations

Journalism (minor)

Campus LeaderChaiken CenterMentoringMentorship

Jasmin Tanner

’26

Global and International Studies

World Literature (minor)

Global and International Studies

World Literature (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.

Faculty AchievementFaculty Research

Eric Plutzer and Michael Berkman

Liberal Arts Professor of Political Science; McCourtney Institute Director and Professor of Political Science

Plutzer and McCourtney Institute Director and Berkman received a one-year grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) to re-survey people who have participated in their Mood of the Nation Poll. “We believe this is the first U.S. survey to follow the same citizens to see how their opinions have changed over a period of years. We are excited about digging into the data, and appreciate the support of the U.S. National Science Foundation. A small amount of funds can go a long way in social science research and we are grateful to receive it.”

Faculty Research

Matthew Restall

Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of Colonial Latin American History, Anthropology, and Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies

Director of Latin American Studies

Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of Colonial Latin American History, Anthropology, and Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies

Director of Latin American Studies

Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of Colonial Latin American History recently wrote a book, “The Nine Lives of Christopher Columbus,” tracing the life and many afterlives of Columbus. Throughout the book, Restall separates fact from fiction and seeks to understand why Columbus continues to mean different things to different people.

Faculty Achievement

Adrian Wanner

Distinguished Professor of Slavic Languages and Comparative Literature

Internationally renowned scholar, Adrian Wanner was named a distinguished professor by Penn State. His research has focused on the literary relations between Russia and Western Europe and he is the author of four monographs, seven volumes of poetry translations, and numerous articles and chapters in edited volumes.

Faculty Achievement

Jeffery Ulmer

Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Criminology

Ulmer was named a distinguished professor by Penn State. He serves as director of the University’s Criminal Justice Research Center, with his research primarily focusing on the sociology of criminal punishment, criminological theory, religion and crime, and racial/ethnic inequality and violence rates.

Faculty Achievement

Suzanna Linn

Distinguished Professor of Political Science

A Penn State faculty member since 1993, Linn was recently named a distinguished professor. She is a leading scholar on time-series analysis of politics and has been widely lauded for her seminal work incorporating temporal dynamics to quantitative analyses of politics.

Faculty Research

Jacob Holland-Lulewicz

Assistant Professor of Anthropology

Holland-Lulewicz is among a group of archaeologists who published research on how oyster shells discarded over thousands of years by Indigenous people have helped protect and preserve the barrier islands off the coast of Georgia.

Faculty AchievementFaculty Research

Eric Plutzer and Michael Berkman

Liberal Arts Professor of Political Science; McCourtney Institute Director and Professor of Political Science

Faculty Research

Matthew Restall

Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of Colonial Latin American History, Anthropology, and Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies

Director of Latin American Studies

Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of Colonial Latin American History, Anthropology, and Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies

Director of Latin American Studies

Faculty Achievement

Adrian Wanner

Distinguished Professor of Slavic Languages and Comparative Literature

Faculty Achievement

Jeffery Ulmer

Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Criminology

Faculty Achievement

Suzanna Linn

Distinguished Professor of Political Science

Faculty Research

Jacob Holland-Lulewicz

Assistant Professor of Anthropology

Faculty AchievementFaculty Research

Eric Plutzer and Michael Berkman

Liberal Arts Professor of Political Science; McCourtney Institute Director and Professor of Political Science

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.

Funding from the Career Enrichment Network has allowed me to supplement the various experiences I’ve been lucky enough to receive both within and beyond academics.

Charis Liu

Enrichment Funding

Emily Cotrufello

’25

English

International Politics

English

International Politics

“I always wanted to study abroad but was unsure if I would be able to financially. … It was one of the best experiences of my life.” Emily was able to study abroad as part of the Literary London faculty-led program, thanks to enrichment funding from the Career Enrichment Network.

Campus LeaderChaiken CenterMentoringMentorship

Jasmin Tanner

’26

Global and International Studies

World Literature (minor)

Global and International Studies

World Literature (minor)

Chaiken CenterMentorship

Diana Lopez

’26

Psychology

Reflecting on her own experiences, Diana shared that her first year of college was a difficult one, marked by academic struggles and challenges in getting involved. She started attending Liberal Arts Chaiken Center events regularly and soon learned about the opportunity to become a peer success coach, realizing it would be a great way to support students going through similar struggles.

Enrichment Funding

Hunter Steach

’26

Political Science

Hunter credits the Career Enrichment Network for making his internship in Washington D.C. possible through enrichment funding. “Washington, D.C., is notoriously expensive, and this funding lifted the financial burden off my shoulders, allowing me to fully focus on my career development.”

Enrichment Funding

Igor Latsanych

’25

Political Science

International Politics

Political Science

International Politics

Igor received academic scholarships and enrichment funding, allowing him to devote more time to his studies and extracurriculars. “The time provided and the pressure relieved by the funding allowed me a lot more time to concentrate on my personal and professional development.”

Enrichment Funding

Noa Diggs

’26

Criminology

Noa supported her embedded program experience in Amsterdam through enrichment funding. “This program in Amsterdam was my first opportunity to participate in a learning abroad experience, and I am incredibly thankful and excited to have had the opportunity to immerse myself in a new culture and gain insights into how other countries approach complex social and policy challenges.”

Enrichment Funding

Emily Cotrufello

’25

English

International Politics

English

International Politics

Campus LeaderChaiken CenterMentoringMentorship

Jasmin Tanner

’26

Global and International Studies

World Literature (minor)

Global and International Studies

World Literature (minor)

Chaiken CenterMentorship

Diana Lopez

’26

Psychology

Enrichment Funding

Hunter Steach

’26

Political Science

Enrichment Funding

Igor Latsanych

’25

Political Science

International Politics

Political Science

International Politics

Enrichment Funding

Noa Diggs

’26

Criminology

Enrichment Funding

Emily Cotrufello

’25

English

International Politics

English

International Politics

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

Morgan Overman

Faculty and Staff Experiences

Matthew Restall

Alumni Experiences

Jasmin Tanner

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