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.
As a top-tier research university, Penn State offers structured programs, competitive grants, and access to state-of-the-art equipment and labs that many institutions can’t match. These opportunities encourage students like me to engage in meaningful work with dedicated faculty while gaining hands-on experience.
Camren Boyogueno
Education Abroad
Camren Boyogueno
’26
Psychology
|
Biology (minor)
Psychology
Biology (minor)
This past summer, Camren expanded her academic horizons abroad, studying in Italy, both in Florence and on the Tuscan island of Elba. The program focused on the effects of climate change on coastal marine life, a departure from her usual focus on human biology.
Chaiken CenterChaiken ScholarFirst-Gen
Camren Boyogueno
’26
Psychology
|
Biology (minor)
Psychology
Biology (minor)
First-generation student Camren found “a mentor who felt like family,” and a community that would shape her Penn State journey at the Liberal Arts Chaiken Center for Student Success. She was paired with peer mentor Kaisha Garvin-Darby (’24 Psychology), who shared her academic and career interests.
Internship
Delany Moreno
’26
Criminology
|
Political Science (minor)
|
Sociology (minor)
Criminology
Political Science (minor)
Sociology (minor)
Delany completed two internships in the past year. The first was with the Gross Law Firm, a workers’ compensation law firm in Allentown, where she attended court hearings, organized medical records, facilitated litigation cost documentation and provided Spanish translation. The second was with the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, where she helped run a detention hotline connecting detainees with legal staff, translated legal documents and helped with client intakes.
Chaiken CenterChaiken ScholarFirst-Gen
Delany Moreno
’26
Criminology
|
Political Science (minor)
|
Sociology (minor)
Criminology
Political Science (minor)
Sociology (minor)
The transition from Delany’s hometown in Allentown, Pennsylvania, to college was not easy as a first-generation college student. “You’re the first for everything — the first to figure out the future for your family and beyond.” Delany’s turning point came when she visited a Liberal Arts peer adviser and heard about the Liberal Arts Chaiken Center for Student Success. Facing financial uncertainty, she connected with center Director Patty Klug, who introduced her to the Chaiken Scholars program and other resources.
Education AbroadSchreyer Scholar
Fatoumata Doumbia
’27
Global and International Studies
|
African Studies
Global and International Studies
African Studies
During winter break her second year, Fatoumata studied sustainable urban redevelopment in Sydney, where she explored how growing cities balance modernization with equity. That spring, she joined other Schreyer Scholars in Bulgaria to examine history, identity and propaganda in media — a course that helped her understand how narratives shape political realities across continents.
Education Abroad
Fatoumata Doumbia
’27
Global and International Studies
|
African Studies
Global and International Studies
African Studies
As a first-year student, Fatoumata traveled to Benin in West Africa to study linguistics and the struggle to preserve local languages in a country where French remains dominant. The program challenged her prior beliefs about spiritual traditions.
One of the most memorable moments, was “a day spent cooking and sharing a traditional meal that highlighted Benin’s strong communal values.” That experience contrasted with the individualism she often experiences in the United States and reminded her of the collectivist traditions she cherishes in Mali.
5,500
+
undergraduate students
800
+
students participating in out-of-classroom experiences
870
graduate students
1,500
undergraduates met with a career coach
66
events hosted by the Career Enrichment Network
40
%
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
6%
languages
5%
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 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
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
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
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
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
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.”
782 full-time faculty
325
tenured faculty
83
tenure-track faculty
374
non-tenure track faculty (full-time)
159
non-tenure track faculty (part-time)
122 Named and Distinguished Professors
25
named professors
24
Liberal Arts professors
21
distinguished professors
20
Sparks professors
17
early career professors and
career development professors
8
University
endowed fellows
4
Evan Pugh University
Professors
4
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
MentoringMentorship
Kayla Lynch
’25
Economics
Economics
As a Liberal Arts peer adviser, Kayla guided her fellow students on how to best succeed in their academic careers. Alongside her colleagues, she was charged with advising students on class changes, scheduling options, selecting professors and other concerns that may arise.
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.
Chaiken CenterMentorship
Diana Lopez
’26
Psychology
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
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
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.”
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