It is worth stating and perhaps worth posting as well.
HT to Liberal Arts Associate Dean Chris Long.
I am proud to support Penn State Academics
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Category Archives: Scholarship
Honors Theses: Congratulations and Preparation!
Over the last few days our seniors have submitted their honors theses. This is always a great time (albeit often one fraught with anxiety as they get down to the wire) and I am very proud that we have our largest class ever graduating this year. All honors theses are now submitted electronically and can be viewed via the library website: https://honors.libraries.psu.edu/ Just search for a key term and away you go! Take a few minutes to poke around in your favorite field and think you will find some very interesting reading.
As we come through this time we always ask for feedback from our students. One concern often expressed is knowing exactly what are our deadlines, procedures, and policies. We announce important deadlines on our listserv and are available to our students and advisers on the new Student Records System. All of this information can also be found on our website: http://www.shc.psu.edu/ For example:
- Deadlines: https://www.shc.psu.edu/students/dates.cfm
- Academic Requirements: https://www.shc.psu.edu/students/standing/
- Thesis Guidelines: http://www.shc.psu.edu/students/thesis/
Furthermore, at the site about the honors thesis you can find even more detail with a step-by-step guide, links to forms, and all the other information necessary for getting a jump on your thesis. Why I am posting this now? Because next year’s seniors have to submit their Thesis Proposal Report this coming Sunday, April 15, 2012 by 11:59 p.m.!
The SHC Thesis Project Guide
This guide presents some details for the step-by-step process students usually go through while doing thesis projects and writing an honors thesis.The SHC Electronic Thesis Submission Guide
This guide will assist you in fulfilling the final requirement to graduate with honors – the submission of your thesis document.Links to Thesis Forms Online
Log into the SHC student records system to view or complete the required Thesis Proposal. The Thesis Proposal must be submitted one year before your intended graduation date.The electronic Honors Theses Archives provide a searchable database of honors theses submitted since Fall 2009.
See Career Services, Resources for Undergraduate Research for:
- undergraduate research opportunities
- financial support for students conducting research
- research exhibition and publication
Penn State Appropriation and the SHC
Last Tuesday, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett presented his proposed 2011-12 state budget, which seeks a 52.4 percent reduction in Penn State’s state appropriation. As the state legislature begins to review the governor’s proposal and as the university begins to consider the ramifications of this spending plan or whatever resolution is reached by the legislature, it is important that you be informed by facts, not rumors or conjecture.
I would encourage you to follow closely updates posted by Penn State, which can be found at live.psu.edu. The university’s Board of Trustees meets this week, and you can expect a number of stories related to this development to come out of that meeting. Again, those stories will be released at live.psu.edu.
You can also view President Spanier’s press conference, which was held Wednesday, March 9, during which time he shares the university’s initial response to the Governor’s proposal at: http://www.youtube.com/user/wpsu#p/a/u/0/P3zf2b8tTXE
At this time, no decisions have been made in terms of what actions the university may be forced to pursue should this reduction be approved. As you may know, the governor’s proposal is just the first step in the state budget process. Be assured that there has been much contact with legislators as we work to impress upon them the many impacts of the governor’s proposal. President Spanier will participate in legislative budget hearings on Monday, March 28, along with the presidents of the other state-related institutions. At that hearing, we will have the opportunity to again state our case in an effort to convince legislators to mitigate the cuts that have been proposed.
One thing I can assure you is that the financial commitments the SHC has made to our Scholars — the Academic Excellence Scholarship, Schreyer Ambassador Travel Grants, and the summer research and internship grants — are secure.
Again, I encourage you to stay informed as this critical issue is addressed here at University Park and in the state capital in the coming weeks and months.
What your grades could be like.
This is from BYU and the Harold B. Lee Library but it is too good not to use!
New Spice | Study like a scholar, scholar
Annual Academic Plans
A reminder from our listserv announcements. Our biggest source of frustration is when we have to remove scholarship funds from someone because they have not met the deadlines. We only have a handful (Annual Academic Plan, Thesis Proposal Report, and thesis turn in) and we have to be firm about these. So please, just get the forms done and if you have any questions be sure to ask!
2009-10 ANNUAL ACADEMIC PLANS (AAPs)
All current Scholars should have filed the 2009-10 Annual Academic Plan (AAP) in April. Â If you did not, you should do so immediately. Â We will do a review next month and anyone who has not filed will be in jeopardy of losing scholarship monies and dismissal from the Honors College. The online form is available at the SHC Web site at shc.psu.edu. Â Once you file, your honors adviser will be able to review and approve it.If you are not sure you filed, check the online forms system.
Internships and Research Opportunities, Scholarships and Grants
All of our students should be recieving the weekly listserv with information about interships and research opportunities, but I thought I would post this week’s here as a reminder of that listserv and an example of some of the many opportunities available to our Scholars.
(If you are not on the list please email Ashlee Klinger.)
FULL-TIME/INTERNSHIPS/RESEARCH:
1. CONFERENCE ON ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN LEADERSHIP (CAPAL) INTERNSHIPS 2009- 4/17
CAPAL is looking for Asian Pacific American (APA) undergraduate and graduate students who identifies as future civic, community, or professional leaders in public service. CAPAL is partnering with four federal government agencies to award eight paid internships to APA undergraduate and graduate students. Two interns will be placed at each of the following United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) agencies: Agricultural Research Service (ARS); Rural Development (RD); Forest Service (FS); and Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). Each intern will be assigned mentors and will receive a $2,000 stipend. Please visit http://www.capal.org for the application form, additional details, and address any questions to scholarships@capal.org. The internship application deadline for the four USDA agencies is April 17, 2009. Decisions for internships will be made by April 30, 2009.
The awards season has begun!
And once again the key word has many meanings. In this case “awards” refers to recognition of accomplishments and scholarship funds.
Student Awards
Beginning with the former, today (March 29, 2009) was the “Student Awards Recognition” ceremony. This is one ceremony when I am not on stage and so sat in the back of the Eisenhower Auditorium and enjoyed watching the hundreds of students go forward to receive their awards. A full description of the awards can be found at the Office of Undergraduate Education website. The awards given were:
Undergraduate Scholastic Awards
- The President’s Freshman Award
- The President Sparks Award
- The Evan Pugh Scholar Award – Junior & Senior
Student Achievement Awards
- The Eric A. Walker Award
- The Ernest B. McCoy Memorial Award
- The Outstanding Adult Student Award
- The W. LaMarr Kopp International Achievement Award
The Graduate School
- The Graduate Student Service Award
- The Graduate Assistant Outstanding Teaching Awards
- The W. LaMarr Kopp International Achievement Graduate Award
As you might expect, a large number of Schreyer Scholars were represented, as well as many, many other great Penn Staters, so I will not list any particular students here, but I hope you all know how proud I am of all of your accomplishments.
Financial Awards
I know that many students who have just received their offer of admission are also eagerly awaiting word about additional financial aid. All our incoming first year students automatically receive the $3,500/year Academic Excellence Scholarship, as your letter of offer of admission stated. We also have additional scholarships that we have recently allocated. These funds were awarded based upon both need and merit. In order to determine if you have received any additional funds, either from the SHC or any other PSU unit (academic college or the Office of Financial Aid) you can log in to you MyPennState account and check there.
These are, of course, very difficult financial times and we are working hard to make as many awards to as many deserving students as possible. For further aid and advice on tuition assistance be sure to contact the Office of Student Aid.
Congratulations to Leah Liu – Gates Cambridge Scholar
Current Senior Leah Liu has just been named as a recipient of this year’s Gates Cambridge Scholarship. Leah is one of only 37 scholars selected from among 752 applicants and 101 finalists. The description of the scholarship:
The scholarships
In October 2000, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation of Seattle, Washington, USA announced a donation to the University of Cambridge of $210 million to establish the Gates Cambridge Trust.
This benefaction creates in perpetuity an international scholarship programme to enable outstanding graduate students from outside the United Kingdom to study at the University of Cambridge. The Trustees are required to award scholarships on the basis of a person’s intellectual ability, leadership capacity and desire to use their knowledge to contribute to society throughout the world by providing service to their communities and applying their talents and knowledge to improve the lives of others.
I hope this will encourage other Penn State students to apply and be persistent in pursuing their goals! It is never too early to begin considering post-graduate plans and the best place to start is with the PSU University Fellowships Office. Dr. Ruth Mendum is always willing and ready to help. (They even have listings of some scholarships for undergraduates.)
And now, introducing our own Schreyer Scholar and new Gates Cambridge Scholar:
New Scholar
Ms Leah Liu
Hometown and State: Silver Spring, MD
Current/most recent university: Pennsylvania State University
Degree & Subject at Cambridge: PhD in Haematology
Profile:
I am a current undergraduate student from Silver Spring, Maryland studying Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Pennsylvania State University. I hope to pursue a Ph.D. in Haematology at the University of Cambridge in the laboratory of Dr. Bertie Gottgens, where I aspire to gain preparation for my ultimate career goal of leading my own group at a research and educational institution. My undergraduate honors thesis research focuses on organ development in the nematode worm C. elegans, and I have also conducted molecular biology and genetics research at the National Institutes of Health and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. I was named a Barry M. Goldwater Scholar in 2007. In addition to research, I am also interested in education and public policy as they relate to science. At my university, I have pursued teaching and mentoring opportunities and have also been involved in the student government, Faculty Senate, and various administrative advisory committees.
The Economy, Penn State, and the SHC
Below is a news release from President Spanier regarding the university’s efforts to deal with the current economic situation. We are also working with the other undergraduate colleges to help students who are finding themselves with a shortfall for tuition payments. We know this is a difficult time for everyone and it would be easy for many to view education as a luxury to be deferred. We do not want to see that happen and will continue to do all we can to ensure that our students will be able to continue through completion of their degrees. Many donors have already stepped forward to provide us with additional scholarship funds to make this possible. If you are also able and willing to help, please do contact me and I will be happy to discuss further the needs currently facing our students.
Penn State President Graham Spanier has sent an open letter to the University community talking frankly about the economy and outlining how Penn State and its students and employees will be affected. In this brief video synopsis, the president addresses deep concerns about rising costs, job security, salary increases, construction projects on hold, things Penn State is doing to ease the burden on employees and students, and where additional help can be found. Read his full message at http://live.psu.edu/story/36755 online.
Honors Course (with the dean) CAMS/J ST/RL ST 110U
I know that our honors students have already registered for classes and that this is late, but I just managed to get my course for the spring into the computer. So please consider signing up if you have the time!
The information is below and the class time will be TR 2:30-3:45.
CAMS 110 (GH;US;IL) (J ST 110, RL ST 110) Hebrew Bible: Old Testament (3) Introduction to the history, literature, and religion of ancient Israel.
CAMS (J ST/RL ST) 110 Hebrew Bible: Old Testament (3)
(GH;US;IL)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements.
The Hebrew Bible is the record of the interaction between the people of ancient Israel and their God. As a religious text, the Bible is inextricably intertwined with the cultures of Israel’s neighbors, including the Canaanites, Syrians, Greeks, Assyrians, Babylonians, Arabs, Egyptians, and the peoples of the eastern desert. To study the Hebrew Bible and its development during the first millennium BCE is to study the history, culture, and literature of the entire region. Hebrew Bible introduces students to the literature of ancient Israel, its rituals, the stories which established a people’s identity, and which defined their moral behavior. Great figures of the texts, such as Moses, David, Solomon, Bathsheba, Ruth, Jeremiah, Daniel, and Ezra, teach us important lessons about life and how people of faith attempted to relate to one another, to God, and to people outside their ethnic group. Students will read from the text and from a textbook which contains scholarly opinion from a variety of sources. Recent archaeological and epigraphical studies will be incorporated into the course to enhance our work. The ultimate goal will be to assess the meaning of the texts in their ancient Near Eastern environment, and to understand the development of Hebrew religion and the beginnings of Rabbinic Judaism. Students will be evaluated using an hour examination, a 6-8 pp. “hermeneutical essay,” a final examination, class attendance and discussion. As an introduction to the scriptures of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, RL ST 110 utilizes the methodologies used in the academic study of religion. The course is related or linked to many courses in religious studies which use these same methods or which are related to the history and development of Judaism, Christianity, or Islam. RL ST 110 may be used to fulfill requirements for the Religious Studies major. RL ST 110 may also be used to fulfill the US;IL or GH requirements in the major or minor in RL ST, CAMS and J ST.
General Education: GH
Diversity: US;IL
Bachelor of Arts: Humanities