Penn State College of the Liberal Arts

Penn State College of the Liberal Arts Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Penn State College of the Liberal Arts, College & University, 119 Sparks Building, University Park, PA.

We offer 49 undergraduate majors, 58 undergraduate minors, 39 graduate and certificate programs, and 6 student services at Penn State University Park.

Ten graduate students from universities nationwide spent two weeks this summer at Penn State to learn how to make their ...
09/09/2026

Ten graduate students from universities nationwide spent two weeks this summer at Penn State to learn how to make their research a vehicle for social change.

👉 https://bit.ly/su26-MixedMethods

Led by Ray Block Jr., Brown-McCourtney Career Development Professor in The McCourtney Institute for Democracy and professor of Political Science and African American Studies, the inaugural Mixed Methods Summer Intensive for Practice-Based Researchers program trained participants to study civic engagement, organizing, and democratic participation as a means of practicing community-engaged research.

The residential program included workshops led by Penn State faculty and faculty from other universities. Funding came from the Democracy and Power Innovation Fund and the College of the Liberal Arts.

“At a high level, the program is about training scholars who can bridge academic research and civic practice—research that speaks both to scholarly debates and to the needs of communities,” Ray said. “Community-engaged research that extends beyond the trappings of academia is very important. We want people who value that to have some kind of home and see examples of how it can be done.”

Penn State student Alexa Pippy spent the summer putting her interest in public policy into practice through the Klepping...
09/08/2026

Penn State student Alexa Pippy spent the summer putting her interest in public policy into practice through the Kleppinger Internship Program in the College of the Liberal Arts! 💙 🙌

As a government relations intern with Allegheny Strategy Partners, Alexa advocated for organizations during state budgeting, attended meetings with legislators, and gathered insights from community members.

“I’ve always known that I wanted a career where I could make a meaningful impact on people’s lives,” said Alexa, a Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar. “Applying for this program and getting selected has given me the opportunity to do hands-on work and realize this is something I want to pursue as a career.”

🔗 Learn more about Alexa's experience: https://bit.ly/klepp-su26-AP

🐾 Penn State Chapel Executive Intern Jake Pausley brought his economics and finance coursework to life on Citi's New Yor...
09/08/2026

🐾 Penn State Chapel Executive Intern Jake Pausley brought his economics and finance coursework to life on Citi's New York City trading floor, gaining hands‑on experience across securitized products, foreign exchange, and rates. His internship allowed him to apply classroom concepts in a fast‑paced market environment while strengthening his analytical and decision‑making skills.

With support from Liberal Arts enrichment funding, Pausley expanded his professional network, clarified his career goals, and ultimately secured a full‑time offer with Citi. His experience reflects how Liberal Arts students turn academic learning into meaningful industry impact.

🔗 Read the full story at https://bit.ly/fa26-JP

Penn State Smeal College of Business

From the classroom to Capitol Hill! 🏛️🔗 https://bit.ly/fa26-ARPenn State student Alivia Reid-Pitta spent the summer in W...
09/02/2026

From the classroom to Capitol Hill! 🏛️

🔗 https://bit.ly/fa26-AR

Penn State student Alivia Reid-Pitta spent the summer in Washington, D.C., gaining invaluable experience through the inaugural Semester in Washington Program. 🤝

Housed in the Department of Political Science, the Semester in Washington Program allows undergraduate students pursuing degrees offered by the college to spend a semester living and interning in Washington, where they gain professional experience, complete academic coursework, and build connections with alumni and professionals across governmental and non-governmental organizations.

As an intern with Comcast's Federal Government Affairs department, Alivia learned firsthand how advocacy, communications, and relationship building influence public policy. From attending congressional hearings and networking with professionals to helping plan a panel for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Annual Legislative Conference, she built the skills and confidence needed for a career in government relations. 💙

Funding from the Chapel Executive Internship Program helped make it possible. The program helped cover the cost of living in Washington and allowed her to focus more fully on her internship and other experiences in the city.

👉 Her advice to fellow students? Say yes to opportunities, keep exploring, and never underestimate the power of building genuine relationships.

✍️ Written by Alexis Lubart

NBCUniversal
U.S. Chamber of Commerce

The has arrived at Penn State University Park!Get to know our newest Nittany Lions with these fast facts. Does anythin...
09/01/2026

The has arrived at Penn State University Park!

Get to know our newest Nittany Lions with these fast facts. Does anything surprise you about our incoming first-years?

Career Enrichment Network
Department of Communication Arts and Sciences at Penn State
Penn State Department of Psychology
Department of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies - Penn State

Penn State student Osakiodeme Ikhinmwin spent her summer creating community impact through the Chapel Executive Internsh...
08/30/2026

Penn State student Osakiodeme Ikhinmwin spent her summer creating community impact through the Chapel Executive Internship Program!

As a citizenship intern with Aramco Americas in Houston, Texas, Osakiodeme supported community initiatives with the Houston Food Bank and local schools while also exploring how artificial intelligence and automated workflows can improve workplace processes.

“Corporate citizenship has a lot to do with volunteering and giving back to the community. And that's something that I'm really passionate about,” said Osakiodeme.

Learn more about Osakiodeme internship experience: https://bit.ly/fa26-OI

The Virginia Todd Chapel Executive Internship Program provides funding to Penn State Liberal Arts students completing full-time, in-person summer internships in the business or private sector. Recipients also enroll in a structured experiential learning course as part of the program.

Penn State
Career Enrichment Network

This May, Penn State students had the opportunity to travel to Ronda, a small, mountainous town in southern Spain known ...
08/27/2026

This May, Penn State students had the opportunity to travel to Ronda, a small, mountainous town in southern Spain known for its prehistoric beginnings and incredible scenery.

While there, students enrolled in the Spanish Language and Culture faculty-led course visited cathedrals, caves, surrounding villages, and the cities of Seville, Granada, and Málaga. Paired with their cultural excursions, students used lessons learned in their daily courses to interact with the local community and bond with their host families.

🇪🇸 Read the full story: https://bit.ly/ronda-su26

Penn State Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese
State

08/26/2026

Student Spotlight: Meet Oli Patchell!

Oli is a Jewish Studies major, with another major in Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies, minors in History and Religious Studies, and a Biblical Studies certificate. Last year, Oli presented their research on the Book of Joel during a workshop with a visiting biblical scholar. The final version of Oli's excellent paper won second prize in the most recent Jewish Studies student essay contest!

Here’s what Oli had to say about that experience:

“One of my favorite experiences that will always hold a special place in my heart was the opportunity to present research alongside a visiting scholar. It was truly a gift to be welcomed into not just the Jewish Studies space, but also a wider academic environment. As a student who tends to stick to the periphery, it was very inspiring and encouraging to be supported by both my peers and professors in the Jewish Studies Program. I will always happily look back on that day knowing it deeply molded my academic journey in the best ways possible.”

This summer's inaugural Semester in Washington Program gave Penn State third-year Political Science student Ella Bartnik...
08/24/2026

This summer's inaugural Semester in Washington Program gave Penn State third-year Political Science student Ella Bartnik the opportunity to turn her passion for human rights into hands-on experience.

⚖️ Through her internship with the American Bar Association's Center for Global Programs, Ella contributed to international human rights initiatives, explored new career possibilities in law and public policy, and built valuable professional connections throughout Washington, D.C.

✨ Beyond the workplace, the program helped her gain confidence, independence, and a new perspective on the many ways she can create meaningful change.

🔗 Read Ella's story here: https://bit.ly/su26-EBartnik

Penn State School of Public Policy
Pi Sigma Alpha
Penn State Lion Caucus

Brandon Sherman, assistant research professor of applied linguistics and assistant director of Penn State’s Center for L...
08/21/2026

Brandon Sherman, assistant research professor of applied linguistics and assistant director of Penn State’s Center for Language Acquisition, spent this summer working with educators in Tunisia through the U.S. Department of State’s prestigious English Language Specialist Program.

👉 https://bit.ly/Sherman-su26

The grant allowed Brandon to spend three weeks training 40 English teachers and 25 supervisors on how to conduct action research as a means of improving student performance and assessment. He and colleague Tammy Johnson collaborated closely with the U.S. Embassy in the Tunisian capital city of Tunis.

Action research is a type of scholarship specifically meant to be implemented within the practitioner’s particular context — in this case, the classroom.

“With action research, you become a researcher by doing the research, not just by learning about research,” Brandon said. “It can be knowledge creation as in academia, but it’s really about building evidence-based narratives that can convince stakeholders in schools that this is a change that needs to happen."

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119 Sparks Building
University Park, PA
16802

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Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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