Fall Two Thousand Eighteen
Leaving a Lasting Legacy
Contents Dean’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Dean
David H. Monk
Editor
Annemarie Mountz
Writers
Jonathan Altland, Jessica Buterbaugh, Jim Carlson, Abby Fortin, Annemarie Mountz
Monks commit $1.5 million to the College of Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Photographers
David Monk to step down as dean of College of Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Contact Us
Pam Monk has long history of involvement . . . . . 4
Jessica Buterbaugh, Jim Carlson, Patrick Mansell, Annemarie Mountz 247 Chambers Building University Park, PA 16802-3206 814-863-2216 www.ed.psu.edu • edrelations@psu.edu Published twice a year by the Penn State College of Education
College of Education Alumni Society Officers
President: Pamela Peter President-elect: Joseph Clapper Immediate past president: Tonnie DeVecchis-Kerr Secretary: Douglas Womelsdorf
Directors Lawrence Carretta Barbie Collins John Czerniakowski Paula Donson Pamela Francis Kaela Fuentes Roseilyn Guzman Tracy Hinish Jonathan Klingeman Holly Klock
Henry Laboranti Amy Meisinger Sandie Musoleno John Rozzo Catherine Tomon, James Trainer Lawrence Wess Jeannene Willow Sharlene Yontosh
Student Members Hannah Chisler Leo D’Agnostino
Zoe Mandel Bridget Parler
In their own words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 #GivingTuesday event to raise funds for student scholarships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 College and donors both able to reap benefits from structured estate gifts . . . . . . . . . . 8 Recent graduate honors those who helped him by giving back to causes dear to his heart . . 9 Grateful alumnus uses estate gift to help struggling doctoral students . . . . . . . . . 10 Early activation of estate gifts lets donors see the effects of their gift . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Mother’s dedication to education inspired son to add to scholarship . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Penn State raises a record-setting $362.9 million during 2017-18 fiscal year . . . . . . 16 New faculty appointments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
The University is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission and employment for all persons. It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information or political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University’s educational mission, and will not be tolerated. Direct all inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policy to the Affirmative Action Office, The Pennsylvania State University, 328 Boucke Building, University Park, PA 16802-5901, Email: aao@psu.edu, Tel (814) 863-0471. This publication is available in alternative media on request. U.Ed EDU 19-27
Keynote speaker’s message to graduates: ‘Now is your time!’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 New endowments, scholarships and awards . . . 20 Alumni Society Board president’s message . . . . 21 On the cover: David H. and Pamela Monk have made a $1.5 million gift commitment to the College of Education. Photo: Annemarie Mountz
Dean’s Message I must admit it is a bit unsettling to see myself and my wife, Pam, on the cover of this magazine. We both are much more comfortable highlighting the wonderful work being done by students, faculty, staff, alumni and others who support the College of Education and Penn State as a whole, in many important ways. Like so many donors, we are grateful for all we have achieved through our affiliation with this great University, and Pam and I are happy to be able to give back in a way we hope will benefit many others. I also am personally grateful for the opportunity to serve the College of Education as dean for the past two decades. As I prepare to step down as dean next summer, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone associated with our College for all you have done to transform education and have such a positive impact on the field. I am confident that the College is positioned well for continued success.
Dean David H. Monk
In that vein, I am pleased to announce the addition of 13 new tenure-line faculty members this academic year. With the addition of this talented group to our ranks, we will continue to be leaders in the ever-changing field of education. These new faculty members bring with them extensive training and expertise in a variety of fields, further strengthening our already robust and diverse faculty. We feel fortunate that we have been able to attract such highly qualified individuals representing such a varied collection of specialties and areas of focus. Their photos and short biographies can be found on page 17. We were fortunate to welcome Michelle Asha Cooper, president of the Institute for Higher Education Policy, to campus as our keynote commencement speaker this past spring. Read her message to our new graduates starting on page 18. Each fall, we share stories about the positive impact philanthropy has, particularly through the establishment of scholarships that benefit our students. In 2017-18 the College of Education awarded more than $1.6 million in scholarships to a total of 340 students, with a $3,600 average individual scholarship award. This year, our participation in #GivingTuesday, a nationwide online fundraising event to be held on Nov. 27, will target the College’s general scholarship fund. This fund is used to help students who need financial assistance to be able to participate in impactful, outof-classroom experiences including study-abroad opportunities, our Professional Development School, the Urban Education Seminar, D.C. Social Justice Program and internships. Read about how you can participate on page 6.
Photo: Annemarie Mountz
Dean David H. Monk presented Jeanne Leonhard with a book containing photos and short biographies of some of the many students helped over the years by her scholarships during the dedication of the Leonhard Language and Literacies Studio.
The College of Education has a lot going on this academic year. Already this fall, we welcomed Jeanne Leonhard to campus to dedicate the Language and Literacies Studio in her name as a thank-you for her generous support of the College. We hope you will keep up with everything that’s going on between issues of this printed publication through our electronic newsletter, Bridges. Bridges is delivered to your email once every other week during the academic year, and once a month over the summer. If you are not already subscribed, I invite you to email edrelations@psu.edu and ask to be added to the subscription list.
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Monks commit $1.5 million to the College of Education By Annemarie Mountz As educators, College of Education Dean David H. Monk and his wife, Pam, assistant teaching professor of journalism in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, long have recognized the important role narrative has played in human affairs since antiquity. Now, they’re supporting efforts by the greater Penn State community to learn more about the power of the story and its role in today’s world through a $1.5 million estate gift commitment. The gift to the College of Education is structured in two parts: $1 million to establish a named professorship through the creation of a faculty endowment, and $500,000 to establish a named program endowment to support the work of a new Center for the Story. The Monks’ intent is for these endowments to work in tandem, with the named professor serving as a leader for the center. “The premise of the center is that the effective use of narrative lies at the heart of effective leadership, pedagogy and sociocultural advancement. The goals of the center focus on how leaders, teachers, advocates and social entrepreneurs can use the power of story, through multiple platforms, to improve lives, classrooms, communities and the world,” said David Monk. Linking a tenure-line, endowed faculty member to the center will maintain a focus on research and scholarship bearing on the role of narrative in pedagogy and leadership. The faculty endowment will support the work of a faculty 2
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Photos by Jim Carlson
A large audience was present (above) as Betsy Van Noy, admistrative support assistant with the Rock Ethics Institute, told her story at a recent State of the Story event (right). Events such as this that celebrate the art of storytelling are related to the Monks’ vision for the Center for the Story.
member with broad interests in pedagogy and/or leadership, areas where the College of Education invests regularly given the centrality of these content areas to the mission of the College. The Monks are not stipulating the departmental location for the endowed faculty member, but given the research interests supported by the endowment, its home department likely will be either Curriculum and Instruction or Education Policy Studies. “While we are hoping our estates will not ‘mature’ for quite some time, we also hope it will be possible for the center to begin to function sooner rather than later,” David Monk said. “We are exploring ways to make annual contributions to help launch activities and welcome ideas about how this might be accomplished.” Faculty already are doing research in the areas that will be
supported by the activities and could benefit from such annual contributions. Faculty members in the College of Education at Penn State and elsewhere have active research interests in the power of story to develop the identities of adolescents, particularly the racial identities of adolescents from underrepresented groups. Others are researching the power of story to enhance teaching and leadership Continued on page 4
David Monk to step down as dean of College of Education David H. Monk, dean of the College of Education, in October announced his plans to step down as dean on June 30, 2019. The University plans to launch a national search for the next dean of the College immediately. “The College of Education has seen tremendous success under the leadership of David Monk, and enjoys an extremely strong reputation as being one of the best education colleges in the nation because of his hard work and commitment to excellence,” said Nick Jones, executive vice president and provost of the University.
outstanding colleagues,” he said. Monk came to Penn State as dean of the College of Education in 1999, after spending 20 years on the faculty at Cornell University. Beginning in the spring of 2019, he will be the longest-serving current dean at the University, and is one of the longest serving deans in Penn State’s history.
He received his bachelor’s degree in economics with a concentration David H. Monk in education from Dartmouth College in 1972 and his doctorate in educational administration from the University of Chicago in 1979. “David has cultivated an environment where
teamwork and collaboration are valued and encouraged, which has contributed to attracting top faculty, staff and students to the University.” While Monk will step down as dean, he plans to return to his home department of Education Policy Studies to pursue a phased retirement as a faculty member. “I have been delighted to be part of the Penn State College of Education, and to see the wonderful things our faculty, staff and students have accomplished here over the past 20 years. I’m very proud of the advances we’ve made in teaching, research and service, and also in the areas of diversity and inclusion, in the College,” Monk said. “In the last two decades, there has been a deep and growing curiosity about what we can do as a college to improve the learning experiences of a wide range of students. Our faculty members are leading cutting-edge research efforts that are transforming the entire field of education. Their groundbreaking work is relevant and applicable in educational environments in our own backyard, around the world and everywhere in between. I am honored and proud to be associated with so many
He has taught in a visiting capacity at the University of Rochester, the University of Burgundy in Dijon, France, and National Taiwan Normal University in Taipei. He also has been a third-grade teacher. Monk is the author of “Educational Finance: An Economic Approach” (1990); “Raising Money for Education: A Guide to the Property Tax” (1997, with Brian O. Brent); and “Cost Adjustments in Education” (2001, with William J. Fowler Jr.), in addition to numerous articles in scholarly journals. He was the inaugural co-editor of “Education Finance and Policy,” the Journal of the Association for Education Finance and Policy (MIT Press) and serves on the editorial board of that journal in addition to serving on the editorial boards of the “Journal of Education Finance, Educational Policy,” and the “Journal of Research in Rural Education.” Monk consults widely on matters related to educational productivity and the organizational structuring of schools and school districts and is a past president of the Association for Education Finance and Policy. Penn State Education
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Pam Monk has long history of involvement Pamela Monk joined the faculty at Penn State in the fall of 1999 after 25 years in public education, where she taught writing and general science. In 1983, she began her continuing career as a freelance writer and playwright. At Penn State, she teaches courses in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Newsday and The Philadelphia Inquirer, as well as in local publications in State College and in Ithaca, New York, where she lived before moving to State College.
From 2004-2010, she wrote “The Rules of Family, Advice from Donna Corleone” — which appeared monthly on the Web (happywomanmagazine.com) and in print (Voices of Central PA). Her plays have been produced in both New York City and Pennsylvania. She also is the creator of Pamelapolis Productions, an independent producing company.
Pamela Monk
She was the faculty adviser to Phroth, the Penn State humor magazine; Valley Magazine; and PSNtv, the student television network. In addition, Monk served as a juried artist for the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. In this capacity she has conducted playwriting residencies and freelance writing workshops in a variety of Pennsylvania public schools. Continued from page 2 capabilities. Faculty members in the College also are researching the power of story to help individuals come to terms with disabilities they experience. In addition, narrative analysis has emerged as a social science research approach to examine people’s life histories, social identities and ways storytelling may build solidarity across differences in place of origin, class, gender and ethnicity. “Stories build community, transmit knowledge, provide insight. They give shape to our aspirations, point out solutions to our problems and help us face our fears. A good story builds empathy, breaks down divisions, helps us understand each other better,” Pam Monk said. The Monks say they hope the creation of a Center for the Story will promote the study and further development of this contemporary as well as ancient art. “Storytelling can be a powerful pedagogical tool, highlighting 4
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Her service to the State College community includes work on arts boards, including Galaxy Arts in Education, the State College Community Theatre and, most recently, The State Theatre.
She teaches nonfiction courses regularly for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Penn State. Current projects include creating sporadic satires such as Forbidden Valley, the Yodas (Your Own Damn Awards Show) and Play by Play and helping to produce personal narrative programs in State College and Pittsburgh.
successes, identifying challenges, harnessing its power to enlighten, entertain and educate,” David Monk said. “It can strengthen leadership and improve social function. There are fascinating research questions surrounding the use and improvement of narrative in these contexts, and the center will position Penn State at the forefront of scholarly work in this area.” Other related activities also are in progress and thriving in the area of storytelling. “State of the Story is in its fourth season, and last year’s student program, State of the Story: Campus Edition, inspired students to create a storytelling collaboration between Penn State students and creative writing initiatives at the State Correctional Institution – Benner Township,” said Pam Monk. “Faculty members from the Bellisario College of Communications have been particularly active in the State of the Story, and we’ve seen a rising level of interest in the role of personal narrative and its connection with social media and immersive technologies.”
Pam Monk has been involved since the beginning in the State of the Story (SOTS) initiative, a live storytelling and music performance series held six times a year in downtown State College, across from the University Park campus. “State of the Story celebrates the ability of stories to honor both the diversity and commonality of human experience, and to satisfy a vital human need for connection,” she said. “Each performance is organized around a theme, and encourages storytelling among communities whose stories often go unheard.” Narrative has played an important role in human affairs since antiquity, beginning with oral narrative and continuing more recently with print and electronic means of communication. Narrative gives rise to stories that take many forms that have been ubiquitous in human affairs, including personal accounts, folk tales, histories, parables, reflections and non-fiction or journalistic accounts. The rise of digital storytelling platforms such as YouTube highlights the attraction and the power of
narrative as a way of organizing and understanding the world. However, that power to advance leadership, pedagogy and advocacy/pro-social agendas is only partially understood and appreciated. “Great leaders throughout history have been masters of ‘getting the story right’ and communicating it effectively to share meaning and to build support,” Pam Monk said. “Great teachers also have understood and harnessed the power of story as a means of helping learners understand both themselves and the larger world. Strides in the human condition, such as those around civil rights in the U.S., have been driven by the use of stories that move people to action.” Creation of the Center for the Story would be a home base for those researching all aspects of narrative, nurturing interdisciplinary collaborations.
“We anticipate building bridges to the Bellisario College of Communications, the School of Theatre in the College of Arts and Architecture, and perhaps other units at Penn State,” David Monk said. “We envision the research that comes out of these collaborations will go far in furthering the arts and humanities, one of the University’s strategic planning priorities.” Creation of the Center for the Story is a key initiative of the College’s current strategic plan. “In building our plan, we were searching for the sweet spot where College and donor priorities coincided, such as the work we have done in the area of innovation thanks to the incredibly generous support of Gay and Bill Krause,” David Monk said. “Pam and I were thinking about making an estate commitment in the area of personal narrative, and we floated the idea about the creation of a Center for the Story.”
He said the faculty response was positive and gratifying, which led the College to include the idea as one of the components of the College’s strategic plan, under the thematic priority of Elevating the Arts and Humanities. The Monks had no connection to Penn State before David became dean of the College of Education, but within no time at all, strong bonds formed. “Both David and I have satisfying work here. Our daughter, a 2003 alumna, had a great academic experience and made lasting friendships, and our son worked at the Nittany Lion Inn for 10 years, first as sous chef then as executive chef. Penn State is the one institution that we all have in common,” Pam Monk said. “David and I have been fortunate. Education has been the key to our success and a gift to Penn State is a logical expression of our gratitude.”
In their own words A partial list of how important storytelling is to us: • We wrote letters to each other at the beginning of our relationship when we were in high school because we attended different colleges. We essentially told the story of each day to one another. These stories contributed to the foundation of our subsequent marriage. • There are no pictures of our wedding, only a ripping good yarn. • Our children grew up with stories and now our grandchildren clamor for the same, with the addition of stories about their parents! • Pam has been telling stories since before she could speak – amusing herself first, then her friends and younger relatives, then her students as a teacher, then her community, first as a founding member of Odyssey Storytellers in Ithaca, then as a founding member of State of the Story here in State College. • David has been ALWAYS telling stories at home, but never thought of himself as a storyteller or as someone who knew anything about the power of narrative. It was largely by accident that he began to notice how important narrative is in teaching and administrative work. Getting the “story right” is an
Photo: Annemarie Mountz
important ingredient for success and as time passed he became more and more impressed with the power of a good story, particularly grandchildren stories. • We make major life decisions based on the story we can tell about them. • And we understand that sometimes, in order to make sense of the random chaos of life, you sometimes tell the story backwards. Penn State Education
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#GivingTuesday event to raise funds for student scholarships By Jonathan Altland
Some of the most influential experiences students can have in their college careers happen through practical learning. Participating in internships, professional development and teaching outside of central Pennsylvania combine to give students in the College of Education unique perspectives that they may not otherwise obtain. However, those experiences do not come without cost, and not all students are able to participate without financial assistance. In an effort to help as many students as possible participate in these valuable educational experiences, the College of Education’s participation in #GivingTuesday this year will target the College’s general scholarship fund, which is used to help students who need financial assistance to be able to participate in these impactful, out-of-classroom experiences. On Nov. 27, people around the country will celebrate #GivingTuesday by showing support for the issues and ideas they care about. Penn State will be starting its #GivingTuesday campaign a little early, at 6:55 p.m. EST Nov. 26. For more information and to participate, visit https://giveto.psu.edu/givingtuesday online. Some of the programs that the College of Education’s general scholarship fund supports are:
Internships in RHS and EPP Internships in the Rehabilitation and Human Services (RHS) and Education and Public Policy (EPP) programs assist with career development by providing real work experiences that offer students opportunities to explore their interests and develop professional skills and competencies. During this experience, students will be able to apply what they learned in classes to actual practice. It is expected that students also will be challenged to examine how their attitudes, beliefs and values influence the helping process.
For information or to participate, visit https://giveto.psu.edu/givingtuesday as many aspects of the RHS process as their academic training and variations in agency/facility functions and services permit. The Education and Public Policy (EPP) Program internship experience provides students with on-thejob experience in a field of their choice. Students apply the skills and content learned in their coursework into actual policy problems and educational environments. “The EPP internship is the keystone in the degree,” according to Dana Mitra, professor of education (educational theory and policy).
Short-term student teaching abroad The short-term student teaching abroad program allows students majoring in elementary and early childhood education or secondary education to travel overseas for five to eight weeks after a 12-week student teaching placement in Pennsylvania. Shortterm student teaching abroad placements are available in Australia, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador, England, Greece, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, Scotland, Spain and Turkey.
Semester abroad In this program, students live and student teach in one of 16 countries for a semester, experiencing the culture and the diversity of a host country. In addition, they gain valuable insight into the education systems and the schools of that country.
“It influenced who I am as a teacher today. Going abroad has allowed me to see the world on a smaller scale, and it helped when I was interviewing.”
The major focus of internships for RHS students is on learning professional skills, abilities and activities practiced in RHS settings. Students will be involved in 6
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Students who have participated in teaching abroad often share that employers have asked about their experiences overseas and interested — Gina Thompson were in hearing how it shaped them as educators. By student-teaching abroad, students are able to offer diversity and depth to many classrooms. “It influenced who I am as a teacher today,” said Gina Thompson, an alumna who studied abroad in Sweden in fall 2006. “Going abroad has allowed me to
support the educational needs of the district’s K-12 students and the University’s teacher candidates through its Professional Development School (PDS), a teacher preparation program designed for Penn State students to serve as interns in nine State College Area elementary schools as well as the secondary English program in the high school for an entire academic year. The opportunity to co-teach with a mentor teacher for that 10-month span is a benefit to the interns, who learn how to manage a classroom from the outset, and for the district’s students, many of whom end up with two teachers in a classroom.
Urban Education Seminar Photo provided
The Urban Education Seminar can help students apply what they have learned in their Penn State courses to any public school environment.
The D.C. Social Justice Program includes educational experiences such as this trip to the Newseum by students in the program in 2016.
see the world on a smaller scale, and it helped when I was interviewing.”
Dublin, Ireland: Culture and Disability (summer course) People with disabilities are the largest minority in the world, making up 15 percent of the world’s population. Many people with disabilities often face discrimination, stigma, lower socioeconomic status and decreased life expectancy. Disability not only spans many professional boundaries (such as policymakers, doctors, engineers, human service providers and teachers) but is a human rights issue as well. Students in this program will learn about different aspects of culture and disability through meeting with various service agencies in Ireland that provide resources for people with disabilities; advocacy and assistance to people with many different types of disabilities; and visits to various sites and guest speakers including experts from Trinity College Dublin and the National University of Ireland Galway.
Immersion in Ecuador The English as a Second Language certificate now can be completed with a field teaching experience abroad. The immersion program includes courses at Penn State University Park and at one of two universities in Ecuador, Universidad de Loja and Universidad de Cuenca, for a summer intensive study experience. The program is completed in one calendar year, beginning in January and ending in August. Upon completion of the program, teachers can add the Teaching ESL Program Specialist endorsement to their professional teaching credential.
Professional Development School The College of Education and the State College Area School District for 20 years running have combined to
The Urban Education Seminar is a two-week practicum where “participants work directly with children and teachers in Philadelphia public school classrooms,” said Jeanine Staples, associate professor of education (language and literacy education) and African-American Studies, who is in charge of the course. “Students also have the opportunity to participate in lectures and workshops from leading urban educators and researchers.” Other valuable aspects of the seminar include community service in area neighborhoods and cultural events in the city.
D.C. Social Justice Program The D.C. Social Justice Fellowship is a course that infuses diversity issues, topics and perspectives into the learning experience and enables undergraduate students to work with diverse underserved communities in the District of Columbia. Students are drawn into the lesson by an approach that allows high school students’ lived experiences to serve as the catalyst for learning. Penn State student teachers are able to work with high school students who have encountered institutional barriers, and are encouraged to skillfully tease out substantive issues in society and policies to help students to propose policy solutions including suggested laws or community initiatives that address the challenges they have encountered. Students interact with the youth in the District of Columbia high schools, with the focus on the intersection of social justice identities, institutional inequities and how to move toward a more just society. Through academic discourse, community-embedded experience, action research, workshops, mentor conferences and stakeholder meetings, students learn to critically examine issues in education, law, policy and social structures toward the goal of formulating cooperative solutions. Penn State Education
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College and donors both able to reap benefits from structured estate gifts Penn State means the world to many alumni. Giving back to the institution that gave them not only a degree, but also many cherished memories, can mean even more because of the personal satisfaction that comes from making an investment in education.
Gifts to the College of Education help enhance the learning experience for students, and support the faculty, research and facilities that are transforming education. The College is fortunate to have alumni who generously show their support in a variety of ways. After providing for family and other loved ones, many alumni and friends choose to make a bequest to the College of Education. “A bequest, commonly referred to as an estate gift, allows you to make a gift to the College, receive an estate tax deduction for the amount of the gift, and leave a lasting legacy in an area of the University that is most important to you,” said Simon Corby, director of Development and Alumni Relations for the College of Education. “Estate gifts make up 51 percent of the gifts pledged to the College of Education, compared to 23 percent given to the rest of the University.” The high percentage of estate gifts for the College as compared to the rest of the University could be, in part, because other colleges’ alumni may be in careers that earn higher salaries than are typical for most College of Education alumni. “Many College of Education 8
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Atherton Society Those who choose to include the College of Education in their planned giving recognize not only the current needs of the College, but its future needs as well. When arranging such a gift, donors will receive membership to the Atherton Society, named for the University’s seventh president, George Atherton, who sought to ensure Penn State’s future and continued prosperity. More information pertaining to the Atherton Society can be found at http://raise.psu.edu/donor-recognition/#athertonsociety online. alumni are quite frugal throughout their careers, but have consistent employment. They are able to accumulate a sizable nest egg for retirement, making them better able to give back to the College through their estate,” said Nathan Reeves, associate director of Development for the College. There are a few ways donors can give through their estates. “The first and most common way donors give back to the College of Education through an estate gift is by designating a set amount of money to fund a new scholarship or to add to an existing one,” Corby said. “All donors have to do is state the amount of money they want to go toward the College in their will.” Second is giving a set percentage of an estate. Most people can’t predict the exact size of their final estate. Making a gift by using a percentage amount can be a more effective means of dividing it because it enables the donor to benefit loved ones and the College in proportion. “Often property and savings appreciate over the long term and so donors are often surprised that they can commit to an estate gift that might well increase
significantly in value by the time the funds come to Penn State,” said Jerry Regan, director of major gifts for the College. Corby said a less common way to give is by donating a collection of items, such as an art collection. The College then can sell the collection and use the proceeds. Estate gifts are one type of planned gift, in which a donor purposefully integrates a charitable gift into his or her overall financial, tax and estate planning. Planned gifts enable donors to make a positive financial difference for themselves and their families, while also leaving a legacy that benefits future generations of Penn Staters. Under the right circumstances, a planned gift can provide a donor with a variety of benefits including increasing current personal income and passing assets on to family members at reduced tax costs, while at the same time making a positive impact on students. Ultimately, an estate gift is an opportunity to give back to the College of Education and Penn State in a meaningful way. For more information about planned giving, contact Corby at sgc12@psu.edu or 814-863-2146.
Recent graduate honors those who helped him by giving back to causes dear to his heart As a recent College of Education graduate and new member of the Golden Lion Society, Ramon Guzman describes giving as the next chapter in his love story with Penn State In May of 2016, Ramon Guzman had an epiphany. It was just days before his friends were going to walk across the stage at graduation. As outgoing Senior Class Gift president, Guzman was still celebrating one of the most successful Class Gift fundraising projects, the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) Endowment. Everyone around him was preparing to close the books on their courses and Penn State education. But with an extra semester in his major of education and public policy still ahead for Guzman, the weight of not joining his friends, and the subtle disappointment that came with it, settled heavy on his shoulders. Professor of Education David Post noticed. “Professor Post took me aside and said, ‘Ramon, it’s all OK, you’re doing just fine, just one more semester.’” In this simple moment of reassurance, everything came together. “I realized that Penn State is about more than just sunburnt days cheering for the football team or the long, electrifying nights caring for the THON dancers,” he said. “It is also about a warm moment between a student and a professor.” This is a moment he returns to every time he makes a gift to Penn State.
Photo: Patrick Mansell
Ramon Guzman, 2016 Penn State Class Gift director, spoke at the dedication of the 2016 class gift, the CAPS Endowment, held this spring at the HUB-Robeson Center on the University Park campus.
to me, like All In and the College of Education, and I give to centers and programs that helped me get to graduation day — CAPS and the Paul Robeson Cultural Center.”
the next chapter in his love story with Penn State. He still daydreams about life in Happy Valley — cold Coconut Chip ice cream dripping down his hands while he waited for the Blue loop, indulgent dinners at the Nittany Lion Inn with friends, the reassurance of thoughtful professors, Guzman counselors and friends when the pressure of school was getting to him.
“I realized that Penn State is about more than just sunburnt days cheering for the football team or the long, electrifying nights caring for the THON dancers.”
Guzman’s relationship with Penn State as an alumnus and new donor is driven by the mantra, “To whom much is given, much is required.” He says, “I give to causes dear
— Ramon
Today, Guzman is a finance assistant for Governor Tom Wolf’s campaign office. As a recent graduate and new member of the Golden Lion Society, Guzman describes giving as
And he honors these memories through giving. “Someone did it when I was a student. Now, I can be that someone.” Penn State Education
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Grateful alumnus uses estate gift to help struggling doctoral students
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By Jim Carlson
ichard Dorman remembers his days as a financially frugal graduate student and he’d like future doctoral candidates at Penn State to have memories a bit more pleasant.
Because of that, Dorman has pledged an estate gift to the College of Education. That gift, he said, is structured so that the College will receive a percentage of his estate. “Therefore, I hope that the stock market remains favorable,” said Dorman, a retired college president currently active as a consultant. “Specifically, my planned gift will endow a research fund for doctoral students in higher education to assist them with collecting and processing data for their dissertation.” He said when he was a doctoral student at Penn State in the late 1980s, he gathered his own data, which allowed him the flexibility to choose a research topic of strong interest to him (boards of trustees) rather than use a professor’s data. “I was a starving graduate student and the expenses were a burden,” Dorman said. “In discussing my ideas with leaders in the higher education program, they felt that an endowed fund to help doctoral students would be highly prized, so that’s what I have done.” Donations to one’s alma mater typically are based on good experiences. Dorman, who earned his master’s degree in counselor education in 1980 and his doctorate in higher education in 1990, is grateful toward Penn State. “I have had a great career in higher education, and I owe so much of it to Penn State,” he said. “Penn State nurtured me as a student, provided internship opportunities during my coursework, gave me employment later on, provided both theoretical and practical knowledge to help me be successful in the various roles I assumed since graduating, and was the place where deep friendships were made. “My two best friends, both in higher education, were at Penn State when I was a student, and they also have thrived as a result of their alma mater. It is a cliché, but I wanted to give back what Penn State has given me. An estate gift was the most generous way which I could do this,” Dorman said. Dorman’s degrees provided him with the versatility to dot his resume with a number of positions: teacher at Red Lion High School near York; director
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Penn State Education
Photo: Westminster College
Richard Dorman, who graduated from Penn State in 1980 with his master’s degree and in 1990 with a doctorate in higher education, has pledged a percentage of his estate to the College of Education.
of marketing for Prestige Expositions in Ridgewood, New Jersey; executive with the Penn State Alumni Association; assistant vice president for development at the University of Louisville; vice president for institutional advancement at Otterbein College; and president of Westminster College. He and his wife, Beverly, retired to the Columbus suburb of Westerville, Ohio, and he is a consultant for various colleges and universities on advancement and strategic planning. “Penn State’s higher education doctoral program is arguably among the most rigorous in the nation, and
it prepared me very well for my career in college administration,” Dorman said. “That, plus a variety of exceptional experiences at Penn State, the University of Louisville, Otterbein University and Westminster, provided a rich reservoir of experiences from which I access when called to offer perspectives and direction by other schools.”
Dorman served as president at Westminster College, a small, liberal arts college in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, for eight years beginning in 2008, or the same time as the Great Recession, a two-year span of general economic depression. “Colleges around America began to experience marked enrollment declines and financial pressures unlike anything previously experienced,” Dorman said. “Though blessed to be given the opportunity to lead Westminster, it was the most and Richard Dorman difficult stressful job in my 40-year career.
Dorman, a native New Yorker who grew up in northern New Jersey, earned a bachelor of music degree from Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove. — The challenges of secondary education, he said, coupled with the low pay, prompted him to work in education at a different level.
“Specifically, my planned gift will endow a research fund for doctoral students in higher education to assist them with collecting and processing data for their dissertation.”
“My counseling degree in student personnel services (at Penn State) was viewed as a viable doorway to achieving that career goal,” he said. “After getting my master’s, I was hired as a research assistant in the Center for the Study of Higher Education at Penn State in an assistantship capacity, which required continuing my education in their doctoral program in higher education. “I loved the higher education milieu, and the more I learned, the more I wanted to know. I had finally found my niche.” He then became assistant director of special programs with the Penn State Alumni Association and ascended to associate executive director (from 1984-90). “Working for Penn State in Old Main permitted me to truly understand first-hand the challenges of higher education in one of the most complex universities in the nation,” Dorman said.
How can I get involved with the College of Education? We need volunteers, student mentors, and goodwill ambassadors for the College. You also can support the College through financial donations.
“Being responsible for a $40 million budget, 400 employees, and positioning the college to adjust to the new economic realities brought about by the Great Recession at a very rural school in a depressed region of the Commonwealth was both challenging and exhausting. I had to make many difficult decisions, which is always dangerous in a field (higher education) that doesn’t like change,” he said. The decision for Dorman to give back to Penn State and attempt to help doctoral students move forward was much simpler. “Educators, by their very nature working in the nonprofit world, aren’t usually in the proverbial top 1 percent of earners,” Dorman said. “Outright gifts to charity by educators will generally not be of the magnitude one sees in other fields. “So, looking at planned gifts makes enormous sense for educators, as there are a variety of methods and gift instruments from which to choose that can conform to one’s specific circumstances.”
To learn more, contact:
Simon Corby Director of Development and Alumni Relations College of Education 814-863-2146 sgc12@psu.edu https://ed.psu.edu/giving Penn State Education
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Early activation of estate gifts lets donors see the effects of their gift
E
By Jessica Buterbaugh
ric and Paula Taylor and Bob and Donna Nicely have all been longtime supporters of the Penn State College of Education. But it wasn’t until they chose to early-activate their pledged estate gifts that both couples got to see firsthand the effects of their generosity. The Taylors, both Penn State alumni — Eric is a graduate of the College of Engineering and Paula of the College of Education — have been regular contributors to Penn State’s annual fund for more than 50 years. “We would mail our check and let it go into the General Fund,” Eric said. But in 2015, after visiting campus and speaking with representatives from the College’s Development Office, they established the Paula R. and Eric P. Taylor Scholarship in Education so that they could focus their philanthropy directly on student support. The scholarship supports students who are interested in pursuing a teaching career in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) field. With the scholarship, they said, they know they are benefiting more than one student. “By funding a scholarship for a teacher, if that teacher has a reasonably good career in teaching, say 20 or 30 years, if they instill a desire to pursue a STEM career in one student a year, that’s a pretty good return on investment for that one scholarship recipient,” said Eric, a retired Air Force Colonel. “Each year that we support an education student, hopefully it will have a multiple effect downstream.”
of stewardship for the College of Education, early activating an estate gift allows donors to make an outright pledge that immediately goes into the fund’s spending account. Instead of waiting for the endowment principle, which is not realized until the donors pass away, an early activation commitment provides money to be used now, when it is most needed. “With early activation, our donors support today’s students,” Moore said. “It’s one thing to create an endowment through our estate and help students after we’re gone,” Eric said. “But with early activation, we get to see the immediate results of our investment and that is very encouraging.” The Taylors take advantage of early activation because it gives donors the opportunity to meet and interact with the student recipients of their scholarship. “We love to come to the scholarship dinners hosted by the College of Education and meet the student recipients,” Paula said, emphasizing that their friends who donate to other colleges and universities do not receive this same opportunity. “And we don’t only meet students who have received our scholarship,” Paula said. “We get to meet recipients of other scholarships as well as other donors.”
“We wanted to create an education scholarship but we wanted to emphasize students who were pursuing STEM curriculum so that it took care of both our interests,” Paula added. “When they [development officers] explained to us how early activation works, we said ‘why not?’” According to Jenn Moore, assistant director 12
Penn State Education
Bob and Donna Nicely
“We get to learn about the needs of today’s students,” she said, adding that college life has changed since she graduated in 1960. The idea of immediate use and meeting student recipients also is what influenced Bob and Donna Nicely to early-activate the Nicely Doctoral Student Research Endowment in Education, a gift they established more than a decade ago. “When we learned about early activation, we liked the idea because of instead of waiting until we pass away
to help students, when we’ll never see what happens, it’s nice to see the results now,” Bob said. “And we get letters from the graduate students who have benefited from the endowment,” added Donna, a 1977 graduate of Penn State McKeesport (now Penn State Greater Allegheny). “It’s nice to see what they are doing with the help of our contribution.” Bob, a 1961 alumnus, said he also enjoys writing back to the students and giving them advice.
“It’s one thing to create an endowment through our estate and help students after we’re gone. But with early activation, we get to see the immediate results of our investment and that is very encouraging.”
“When I was a doctoral student, we didn’t have much discretionary Eric and Paula Taylor income,” Bob said, explaining that — Eric Taylor he had been working as a public of an undergraduate scholarship is $2,500 a year for school teacher in Pittsburgh while five years. Donors have the option to pay every year or Donna focused on raising their two children. “Through make a lump-sum payment. They also have the option funding by way of my adviser and Pitt’s Learning to renew their early activation at the end of the initial Research and Development Center (LRDC), where pledge. I had a joint appointment, I was able to travel and present scholarly and research papers at national Early activation also provides welcomed tax professional conferences. If it weren’t for that financial benefits, Eric said. help, I wouldn’t have been able to travel to make those “Early activation is a great option for people over presentations.” 70 who are required to take money out of their IRA, It was while he was working at the LRDC that whether they need it or not,” he said. “You can make Bob realized he wanted to pursue a career in higher your contribution directly from your IRA and it is a education. But with that, he said, comes a higher dollar-for-dollar contribution, so you’re not giving afterexpectation for research productivity. tax dollars. That works really well for us and it is a pretty seamless process.” “I wanted to help a student at Penn State get a leg up so that when they graduate from Penn State, they have evidence of their potential in the research category of their curriculum vita,” he said. “They’ve done research, and they have written and talked about their research findings.” “Expectations for doctoral students who are going into higher education are different than those for doctoral students who go into public school leadership positions,” he said. “There is a research expectation for people in higher education and it is getting more so, even at the smaller institutions of higher education that were at one time focused primarily on teaching. Their faculty are now expected to conduct research and publish it.” The Nicelys said they weren’t aware of the early activation option until 2015, eight years after they made an estate commitment. Upon learning about the giving opportunity, they made a five-year pledge. “What’s great about this option is that donors can choose to early-activate at any time, regardless of how long ago an estate gift was established,” Moore said, adding that the minimum pledge for early activation
For both couples, giving back to Penn State comes without question. “We both feel that Penn State has been extremely good to us, and that is a primary reason we want to give back to students and help them,” Donna said, explaining that in addition to earning their degrees from Penn State, she and Bob also are retirees of the College of Education. Donna served as the contracts and proposal specialist for 17 years and Bob is an associate dean emeritus and professor emeritus of education. “To us, it’s just the right thing to do,” Bob said of their decision to give back. The Taylors also have a special affinity for Penn State. After all, it is the reason the two met. “Paula comes from a small town in the western part of the state and I am from Philadelphia,” Eric said. “There’s no way we would have met by accident other than being at Penn State at the same time. “Paula and I look at Penn State as the foundation of our adult life, and we want to give back.” Penn State Education
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Mother’s dedication to education inspired son to add to scholarship
I
By Jim Carlson
t took Joe Niebel’s mother, Doris, nearly nine years attending parttime to complete her elementary education degree from Penn State, and her family is honoring her full-time determination and dedication to teaching by enhancing an estate gift she initiated in 2000. Doris Niebel, who died in 2004, waited to attend Penn State as an adult student until she and her husband, Benjamin -- who worked in the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering at the University – had all four of their children in elementary school. “She completed her elementary education degree on a part-time basis over eight or nine years and then gained employment with the State College Area School District where she taught fifth grade for about 12 years,” Joe Niebel said. “Mom was very proud of attaining her college education and enjoyed her teaching career.” Niebel noted that his maternal grandparents emigrated to the United States from Scotland, where his grandfather worked in industry. “In their new country, they struggled financially and a college education was not a possibility for their daughter,” he said. “The positive impact of Mom’s
“Her desire was to help those who, like herself, were not able to go to college right after high school due to financial issues, family obligations or just the uncertainty of a career choice.”
— Joe Niebel
perseverance to complete her school, while we ourselves were in school, was so motivating to me. Therefore, we both felt this was a perfect fit for the two of us (he and his wife, Sandy) to enhance the Doris M. Niebel Scholarship in Education. Our children – Cassandra (‘09 engineering) and Benjamin (‘06 IST) -- are very proud Penn Staters, and hopefully our grandchildren will find their way to Happy Valley,” Niebel said. Joe said his wife, Sandy, knew from a young age that she wanted to be an elementary teacher. However, she grew up on a dairy farm in the Penns Valley area with five siblings, and the family was
unable to allocate money for college educations, Joe said. “She was determined to graduate with an elementary education degree and with the help of school loans and scholarships was able to attain her lifelong goals,” he said. Sandy taught for 33 years in the Penns Valley Area School District. “She was able to relate to my mom’s experiences and understood firsthand the difficulty of monetary restraints in meeting career goals,” Joe said. The scholarship that Doris started in 2000 is for undergraduate and graduate students enrolled or planning to enroll in the College of Education who have achieved outstanding academic records or who manifest promise of outstanding academic success; have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale; and who have a demonstrated financial need. First preference is given to returningadult students age 32 or older and second preference is for returning adult students age 24 or older. “My mom realized that without financial resources, she would have been unable to attain her goals. She understood that many adult students are unable to obtain a college degree due to monetary restraints,” Joe said. “Her desire
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Every fall the College of Education holds a Scholarship Dinner, giving scholorship recipients the opportunity to meet and thank their benefactors.
was to help those who, like herself, were not able to go to college right after high school due to financial issues, family obligations or just the uncertainty of a career choice.” Joe graduated from the College of Education with a degree in Rehabilitation and Human Services in 1970, and also competed on Penn State’s track and field team. He enlisted in the Navy, was a hospital corpsman and also completed physical therapy/occupational therapy technician school. He earned a master’s of public administration from Penn State Harrisburg and he is a retired family therapist for Keystone Service Systems in State College. The Benjamin W. Niebel Work Design Lab in the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering honors his father, Joe
said. The family’s work ethic and overall devotion to the University was more than enough motivation for Joe and Sandy to add to his mother’s scholarship fund. “It was a challenge for my mother to manage and care for us four kids, complete her education, while also helping my dad’s bookwriting by typing manuscripts,” Joe said. “She found teaching to be a rewarding experience and often proudly shared that she never could have done this if she did not have the financial resources to go to Penn State as an adult student.” The couple now enjoys the added benefit of meeting students who receive financial assistance from the scholarship. “Sandy and I enjoy attending the Scholarship Dinner. It is always rewarding
hearing experiences of those who were able to take advantage of this scholarship,” Joe said. “All the students we have met have shared their unique situations and challenges. Our knowing this scholarship has helped in a small way to helping them meet their goals is so rewarding to us.” Because his mother was a “caring individual,” Joe said pledging money to the College of Education “felt right” to him and Sandy. “We feel greatly rewarded just by having a small connection to the College of Education,” he said. “Attending the Scholarship Dinner, sharing with recipients of the Doris M. Niebel Scholarship, and hearing of the accomplishments of the College have all been an inspiration for us.”
Creating Transformative Experiences We are committed to providing opportunities that foster socially aware, innovative and academically prepared global citizens. Through the Greater Penn State campaign, alumni and friends can partner with us in creating these co-curricular offerings that will define a bright future for our students and our community.
For more Information, contact: Simon Corby Director of Development and Alumni Relations College of Education 247 Chambers Building University Park, PA 16802 814-863-2146 sgc12@psu.edu Penn State Education
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Penn State raises a record-setting $362.9 million during 2017-18 fiscal year Through a campaign focused on Penn State’s impact on the lives of students and in the larger world, Penn State has achieved the strongest fundraising results in its history during the justconcluded fiscal year. Between July 1, 2017, and June 30, 2018, Penn State alumni, friends, parents, students, grateful patients and other supporters committed $362.9 million to Penn State’s five-year fundraising effort, “A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence.” Since the campaign began on June 30, 2016, the University has raised more than $713 million, or more than 44 percent of its $1.6 billion campaign goal. As of Oct. 2, the College of Education has raised nearly $10.9 million, or more than 62 percent of its $17.5 million campaign goal. “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to those who have contributed to our campaign and are helping to create a better future for our students, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the world,” said Eric J. Barron, Penn State president. “The campaign is tied to key priorities of the University’s strategic plan, which envisions Penn State as a global leader in areas ranging from energy, food and water security, to human health. With the partnership of our alumni and friends, we are committed to fulfilling our mission as a land-grant University and affirming our role as a truly outstanding public institution.” This year’s fundraising totals break several existing University records for private giving in a single fiscal year. The $362.9 million raised this fiscal year has set a new record for commitments (new gifts and pledges that will be fulfilled in the future), beating out the previous record of $353.2 million raised in fiscal year 2010-11. The University 16
Penn State Education
Photo: Patrick Mansell
also smashed the record for receipts (or cash in the door), having collected more than $322.7 million from its supporters. The previous record of $274.8 million also was set in fiscal year 2010-11. “Penn State donors are inspired by the vision of ‘A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence,’ which is to elevate Penn State’s status as a leading public university in the 21st century,” said O. Richard Bundy III, vice president for Development and Alumni Relations. “Our supporters have seen the campaign’s potential to fulfill the three core imperatives of a great public university — open doors, create transformative experiences and impact the world — and they want to seize this opportunity to make a difference for students, communities and the world.” To encourage donors to support key priorities that are at the core of this campaign, Penn State offered matching dollars for specific initiatives. The response from donors was strong, with 317 newly created scholarships supporting
one of Barron’s top priorities, the Open Doors initiative. Open Doors Scholarships will be directed to students participating in programs offering financial aid, mentoring and counseling, and other support to help them graduate on time and reduce their educational debt. Alumni and friends will be able to secure a 1:1 match for similar gifts through the campaign’s end on June 30, 2021. Other matching programs will continue to encourage campaign gifts from firsttime scholarship donors and others. “To be ‘A Greater Penn State,’ the University must help our students and our communities to succeed in a rapidly changing world,” said Bundy. “By investing in the campaign’s priorities, from making higher education more affordable to creating economic prosperity to building global connections, Penn State’s donors are having an impact that will go far beyond our campuses.” To learn more about “A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence,” visit greaterpennstate. psu.edu.
New faculty appointments
Belland
Farris
Gopalan
Griffith
Kelly
Kim
McCrudden
O’Shea
Schroeder
Vea
Ward
Weathers
Brian Belland, associate professor of education (educational psychology), earned a doctorate in educational technology from Purdue University. His research interests include machine learning to inform scaffolding customization; scaffolding argumentation during problem-based learning in middle and high school science; synthesis of scaffolding research across STEM education and education levels; and scaffolding in preservice teacher education. Amy Voss Farris, assistant professor of education (science education), earned a doctorate in learning, teaching and diversity with a focus in the learning sciences from Vanderbilt University. She investigates the intersections of scientific modeling and computing in K-12 classrooms and how learners’ experiences in computational modeling can support them as they integrate ideas and practices across STEM disciplines. Maithreyi Gopalan, assistant professor of education (education theory and policy), earned a doctorate from the School of Public and Environmental Affairs from Indiana University, Bloomington. Her research examines the causes and consequences of racial and socioeconomic disparities in student outcomes using interdisciplinary perspectives. Specifically, she is interested in bringing psychological insights to bear on applied social and educational policy issues. Jason Griffith, assistant professor of education (children’s literature), earned a doctorate in English education from Arizona State University after teaching middle and high school English for 12 years. His research interests include writing pedagogy, adolescent literature, multimodal text intersections, particularly in narrative nonfiction and storytelling, and empowering literacy practices for middle and secondary students as well as preservice teachers. Matthew Kelly, assistant professor of education (educational leadership/ finance), earned a doctorate in education policy and the history of education from Stanford University. His research interests include the history and politics of school finance and governance, the causes and consequences of uneven resource distribution in schools, and long-term trends in the relationships between economic and educational inequality. ChanMin Kim, associate professor of education (learning, design and technology), earned a doctorate in instructional systems from Florida State University. She studies methods to help preservice early grades and elementary teachers learn to integrate robotics and computer programming into classrooms. Her research also involves using programming and debugging as a vehicle for social learning of children on the autism spectrum. Matthew McCrudden, associate professor of education (educational psychology), earned a doctorate in learning and technology from University of Nevada-Las Vegas. His research examines the processes that we use while we study and how these processes are related to our ability to comprehend new
ideas, connect new ideas to what we already know, and to retain ideas for future use. Amber O’Shea, assistant professor of education (rehabilitation and human services), earned a doctorate in educational psychology from Temple University. Her research interests include understanding the impact of supported education on health and post-secondary outcomes for college students with mental illness and interventions for promoting educational success and engagement among college students with psychiatric disabilities. Yao Stephanie Schroeder, assistant professor of education (social studies education), earned a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from University of Florida. Her research interests include democratic and citizenship education, pre-service teacher education and education activism. Tanner Vea, assistant professor of education (learning, design and technology), earned a doctorate in learning sciences and technology design from Stanford University. His research interests include examining the political and ethical dimensions of designing learning environments, investigating the role of learning in political participation, and engaging educators and learners in human-centered design to address socially meaningful challenges. LaWanda Ward, assistant professor of education (higher education), earned a doctorate in higher education and student affairs, and a juris doctor, from Indiana University. From a social justice perspective, her research interests include exploring legal issues in American higher education such as raceconscious admissions in a “post-racial” society, free speech and academic freedom. Ericka Weathers, assistant professor of education (education theory and policy), earned a doctorate in education policy from Stanford University. She uses quasi-experimental methodologies to explore the role of structural inequality in education. Her current work examines the relationship between segregation and school finance and racial disparities in special education and school discipline. Xiangquan “James” Yao, assistant professor of education (math education), earned a doctorate in mathematics education from Ohio State University. His research interests include the development of mathematical cognition; teaching and learning mathematics with technology; and mathematics preservice teacher education. Penn State Education
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Spring commencement 2018
Photo: Annemarie Mountz
Michelle Asha Cooper, president of the Institute for Higher Education Policy, was the keynote speaker for the College of Education’s spring commencement ceremony. Following are excerpts from her address.
Keynote speaker’s message to graduates: ‘Now is your time!’ I am delighted to deliver this year’s commencement address because seeing individuals make it to and through college is at the heart, the very essence, of what I do for a living. At the Institute for Higher Education Policy, we seek to inform policy discussions that help students enter and complete college. We envision a world where all people can reach their full potential by participating and succeeding in education. In other words, we believe in you! We believe that “you,” Penn State’s Class of 2018, armed with your degree in hand, have what you need to reach your life goals.
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a significant role in today’s celebration. You have been actively involved in your loved one’s educational journey and have truly helped them to reach this day. So, to all of the friends and family members, I salute you. Today, is your day too!
You have reached an important milestone in your life. And, I stand here along with the faculty and administrators of this wonderful institution, honored and privileged to celebrate this accomplishment.
In preparation for today’s speech, I reflected on the graduations I’ve attended. And over the years, I’ve attended many, several of which were my own. And what I realized is that I don’t remember much about the commencement speaker. I may remember a name; but I don’t remember a face; honestly, I don’t remember much about any of them. This remembrance – or maybe I should say lack of remembrance – is a bit unsettling as I stand before you because I realize that in about two hours, you might not remember me either or anything that I will say.
I also want to take a moment to acknowledge the families and friends of today’s graduates. Each of you have
In anticipation of that, I am simply going to cut to the chase and tell you what I want you to remember – and I
Penn State Education
Photos: Annemarie Mountz
More than 300 graduating students, their families and friends heard inspiring words from commencement speaker Michelle Asha Cooper at College of Education commencement exercises held May 6, 2018, in the Bryce Jordan Center on the Penn State University Park campus.
really do hope you remember it. So here it is – my message to you today, Class of 2018, is simple – I want you to know that now is your time! ***** The world that greets you is one filled with both chaos and great opportunity. We are living in an increasingly diverse, interconnected, yet unequal world. To combat the inequities of our society, we need people who are ready, willing and able to fix the problems that plague our society. People who are actively engaged in making their communities, this world a better place. People who are not afraid to lock arms in solidarity against racist, sexist, xenophobic and other forces that seek to erode our democracy and civic values. Now is the time for radical, transformative change. It is a fact that nearly 20 percent of Pennsylvania’s children live in poverty. These kids’ day-to-day lives are marked by financial, housing and food insecurity. Many are struggling in schools every single day. These students live all across this state and can be found in each and every community. But the communities most affected by poverty can be found in the rural and urban parts of the state. The gap in funding between public schools in the poorest and most affluent communities has grown
in the last decade. In schools today, we track students, sort them, and stratify them along the lines of income and race. We have created a system of haves and have nots. Right here in Pennsylvania, our schools are struggling; our students are struggling, and these longstanding inequities did not emerge overnight. It is also a fact that school safety is a top issue for parents and educators. The safety of our schools should not be a choice. It should not be a political issue or a sensationalized issue. It’s an absolute necessity. The same way our sons and daughters should have good schools, they should also have safe schools. We must take steps to make sure that violent crimes in our schools stop now. We also need to bring an end to hate crimes. In communities and schools, hate crimes are increasing, and the majority of these incidents are motivated by bias against race and sexual orientation, followed by religion, gender and disability. Here’s another fact: 25 percent of children and young adults have been victim of cyberbullying. 25 percent – that’s one in four people. While
social media offers many benefits, like increased access to real-time information and the ability to develop more robust social connections and networks, it also can be quite divisive. We are all-too-familiar with the vulgar tone of politics, the daily news, and celebrity twitter and Instagram rants. Social media, in general, has become a breeding ground for hate, terrorism and all manner of uncivil behavior. People hide behind their keyboards and type shocking, cruel and appalling things to people they don’t even know. Things they would never say face-to-face. These uncivil behaviors begin online, but they quickly spill over into our schools and communities. Now is the time to reverse these trends. There is chaos in this world, but there is also the opportunity for change. Radical, transformative change. Now is your time! Penn State Education
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New endowments, scholarships and awards
The following endowments, scholarships and awards were created recently in the College of Education. For information on how to make a gift, contact Simon Corby, director of Development and Alumni Relations, at sgc12@psu.edu or 814-863-2146. Allison Family Open Doors Scholarship Benefactors: Robert and Barbara Allison
Kent R. and Beverly Smith Kiehl Award Benefactor: Beverly Smith Kiehl
James and Pamela Reese Arbuckle Open Doors Scholarship in the College of Education Benefactors: James and Pamela Reese Arbuckle
Dorothy E. Kinley-Schumacher Scholarship in the College of Education Benefactor: Dorothy E. Kinley-Schumacher*
Dr. Marcia Clarke-Yapi Open Doors Scholarship Benefactor: Wanda Blanchett Joan and David Cotterill Open Doors Scholarship Benefactors: Joan and David Cotterill
Ron and Sandie Musoleno Open Doors Scholarship Benefactors: Ron and Sandie Musoleno
Janice W. and Terry Engelder Open Doors Scholarship in the College of Education Benefactors: Janice and Terry Engelder
Nolan-Landers Fund for the Professional Development School Benefactors: James Nolan and Rocky Landers
Terry and Constance Updegraff Eshenour Endowed Scholarship in the College of Education Benefactors: Terry and Constance Updegraff Eshenour
Marv and Raven Rudnitsky Open Doors Undergraduate Scholarship in the College of Education Benefactors: Marv and Raven Rudnitsky
Dr. Jonathan D. Fife Research Fund in Higher Education Jonathan D. Fife and Ann S. Ferren Open Doors Scholarship Benefactors: Jonathan Fife and Ann Ferren
Robert E. and Karen Bell Shute Open Doors Scholarship in College of Education Benefactors: Robert and Karen Bell Shute
Cada R. Grove Open Doors Scholarship in the College of Education Benefactors: Susan Grove Linda C. Higginson and Susan C. Youtz Open Doors Scholarship Benefactors: Linda Higginson and Susan Youtz Charles Evans Hunnell Open Doors Scholarship Charles Evans Hunnell Graduate Scholarship Benefactor: Charles Hunnell John and Gina Ikenberry Open Doors Scholarship Benefactors: John and Gina Ikenberry 20
Jenny Scott Lee and Rich Lee Open Doors Scholarship Benefactors: Jenny Scott Lee and Rich Lee
Penn State Education
William and Estelle Turney Open Doors Scholarship in the College of Education Benefactors: William and Estelle Turney Karen A. Verbeke and Harry M. Shealey Family Open Doors Scholarship Benefactors: Karen Verbeke and Harry Shealey Eric and Louise Whorral Open Doors Scholarship in the College of Education Benefactors: Eric and Louise Whorral David S. and Karen M. Winning Open Doors Scholarship in the College of Education Benefactors: David and Karen Winning * indicates donor is deceased.
Dean’s Development Council Message from the Council Co-Chairs We assumed co-chairmanship of the volunteer Dean’s Development Council (DDC) in the spring of 2015, and had been involved with the College since 1997, primarily through the scholarship we established. As a former educator and guidance counselor, I viewed the co-chairmanship as a great opportunity for us to further engage with the students, faculty and staff; help encourage charitable giving to the College; and to support the College in its efforts to graduate outstanding educators. The Council is composed of 15 members of fairly diverse majors and backgrounds, all with a strong commitment to the Council mission and the College’s goals. Formal meetings are held in the spring and fall, and we stay in touch with Dean David Monk and Development Director Simon Corby and his staff via monthly conference calls. We all have assumed responsibility for individual initiatives that range from assisting the Development staff in the stewardship of donors to actively participating in meetings with the staff and prospective donors. Last year, the DDC and Alumni Society Board partnered to continue to improve communication between the groups and to find potential common objectives and activities. Penn State is in the middle of the “Greater Penn State” fundraising campaign. The Development staff
Barbara and David Kucharski
has done an outstanding job in meeting their annual objectives and the Dean’s Development Council has provided whatever assistance needed. However, we still have a way to go. The average debt a student carries after graduation is in the $40,000 range. Roughly half of the College’s students receive some financial aid. It’s one of our visions that this burden be reduced substantially through the generosity of Penn State alumni and supporters. Contact the Development Office if you are interested in volunteering or supporting us as we move forward in the campaign. Barbara (1970) and David Kucharski (1970)
Annual dinner enables scholarship donors, recipients to meet, mingle Jeanne Leonhard, left, and Shirley Hudders, right, chat with students at the annual College of Education Scholarship Dinner, held Oct. 4 at the Nittany Lion Inn on Penn State’s University Park campus. At the dinner, donors met the students who received the scholarships they funded, and learned of the impact their gifts have had on these individuals’ lives. The students also got to meet the people whose generosity has helped to Photo: Annemarie Mountz lighten their financial load, enabling them to concentrate on their studies and also be involved in co-curricular activities that further enhance their educational experiences. Scholarship donations can make a significant difference in students’ lives, no matter the amount of the individual gift. For information about making a gift, see the information box at the right.
Ways to Give You can help shape the future of the College of Education by donating online or via the options below. • Gifts by Check, Credit Card and Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) • Stocks, Bonds, Mutual Funds • Matching Gifts • Pledges • Planned Gifts • Employee Giving For more ways to give visit https://ed.psu.edu/giving or contact Simon Corby, Director of Development and Alumni Relations in the College of Education, at sgc12@psu.edu or 814-863-2146. Penn State Education
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247 Chambers Building University Park, PA 16802
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