Penn State College of Education

The Penn State Student Restorative Justice Initiative (sRJI), a University Park student group dedicated to restoring and empowering individuals involved with the justice system, will present an informational webinar, "How to Start and Run a Justice-impacted Student Organization," from 5 to 6:30 p.m. EST Friday, Nov. 13. This informational webinar is open to all justice-impacted Penn State students at any commonwealth campus. The presenters, who are all formerly incarcerated current or former college students, will share their experiences in creating and/or running a justice-impacted student organizaiton (JISO) and there will be ample time for Q&A. Register for the webinar at https://bit.ly/387zu2t.

For the first time ever, Penn State will join colleges and universities across the nation in recognizing National First-Generation College Celebration with a we...ek of virtual festivities. Through Nov. 8, all members of the Penn State community, especially first-generation college students are invited to participate. http://ow.ly/bcVA50Car44

Royel Johnson, assistant professor of education (higher education), will be a featured speaker on Sunday, Nov. 8 for an online presentation through his alma mater, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign. The program is in recognition of National First-Generation College Student Day 2020. Johnson will be speaking with first-generation college students about securing letters of recommendations and navigating relationships with faculty.

Penn State's official fall enrollment figures show College of Education undergraduate enrollments are up for the fifth straight year, and are almost 12 percent higher than in 2016. We are grateful to our students and are working hard to earn the trust they put in us to deliver an excellent education regardless of delivery mode during this pandemic.

John Cheslock, associate professor of education (higher education) and senior research associate in the Center for the Study of Higher Education (CSHE), shares his expertise in a recent story in Chronicle of Higher Education discussing "universities and colleges reckoning with the financial fallout spurred by the pandemic."https://bit.ly/326i4Q0

Another $50 Penn State Berkey Creamery eGift card is up for grabs this month! November is National Gratitude Month, and what better way to celebrate than to thank someone or something that brings you joy? Post your photos on Instagram using #GratitudeMonth and tag the College of Education @psu_collegeofed. Then, fill out the Google form here https://forms.gle/R3gFbkawH8hPa1AV7 or click the link in our Instagram bio. Deadline to enter: 4 p.m. November 27 Winner notified:... November 30 We can’t wait to see your pics!! #pennstate #collegeofeducation #nationalgratitudemonth2020 #alumnichallenge

To combat feelings of isolation and help make undergraduate students aware of the campus resources that are available to them, the Penn State College of Education Student Council (ESC) has started weekly virtual educational/networking programs called S.O.A.R. (Student Opportunities, Advocacy and Resources) and Restore. We have a consistent group of people who log on to join and eat dinner together, said ESC President Taylor Young. We’ve had some students who’ve had to quarantine, and they said that it’s been helpful to see, ‘Ok, I don’t have to eat alone in my room while I’m quarantining in my room for two weeks just have human connection. https://news.psu.edu//education-students-connect-during-pa

Congratulations to alumna Nancy Alpago (@nalpago), the winner of the College of Education's October Alumni Instagram Photo Challenge!! Nancy scored a $50 Penn State Berkey Creamery eGift card for tagging a photo with #PSUFootball. Check back here on Monday, as we will announce the November Alumni Instagram Photo Challenge. #pennstate #pennstatefootball #psucollegeofed #beatthebuckeyes

Xiaoqiao Zhang, who received a doctorate in Lifelong Learning and Adult Education, and Comparative and International Education in 2020, will be a featured panelist following a screening at 7 p.m. ET tonight of "Mainland," a documentary about Chinese international students in rural Maine. Register at link: https://bit.ly/3mD7Iic

Yusen Zhai, a doctoral candidate in counselor education, is conducting a survey that investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on students' experiences (wellness and academic persistence) in college so as to better support students in the crisis and beyond. https://bit.ly/3oDQdQJ

College of Education freshmen taking first-year seminar classes can examine what their own values are and how their values and beliefs shape how they view the world via an equity-minded approach through equity modules. https://bit.ly/34FdEkP

The first Donuts and Cider with the Deans, presented by the Penn State College of Education Undergraduate and Graduate Student Councils, was held on Wednesday on the patio of Chambers Building. While the weather may have been wet and chilly, it didn't dampen the spirits of the students, faculty and staff members who participated in this fun and socially distanced event!

Ashley Patterson, assistant professor of education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, urged a virtual audience of Schreyer Scholars, alumni and staff to assess their own identities and how they might view themselves and others differently to better advocate for social justice on Oct. 21 during a lecture titled, Thinking & DOING Justice & Equity, the first in a new series hosted by the Schreyer Honors College called Inclusive Conversations. https://bit.ly/31OE81a