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NEW HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT BUILDING OPENS
Health and Human Development NEWS
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Learning and Leading with Care
ALUMNI
People Impacting People
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Technology to Improve Health
FRIENDS
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FALL
2015
Greetings from the College of Health and Human Development The college entered the fall semester with great momentum. We added a significant infusion of new faculty members to our ranks, including a new director of the School of Hospitality Management, Donna Quadri-Felitti, who brings tremendous industry expertise to the school, and Diana “Denni” Fishbein, the new director of the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, who further strengthens our growing expertise in neuroscience. We also added four new colleagues with backgrounds in health disparities who will help galvanize research and course offerings related to inequalities in health and health care, an important social issue of concern to today’s students. Students continue to find our majors as great choices for rewarding careers. We currently have more than 4,500 undergraduate students at University Park, and our majors are consistently among the most popular academic programs at the University. Kinesiology holds steady as our largest major, followed by Biobehavioral Health and Hospitality Management. We now offer three online degree programs through the highly ranked Penn State World Campus. We plan to create at least one new online degree program per year for the next four years, a considerable expansion of our online footprint. It was a thrill to welcome several recent alumni from our online degree programs to our fall alumni tailgate. Finally, our research activities have great momentum. The college is a research-intensive environment, receiving more than $57 million in research awards last year thanks to the expertise, vision, hard work, and determination of our researchers. It is enormously satisfying for me to see our faculty collaborating inside and outside the college and successfully competing for support in this very tight federal funding environment. Underlying all of these successes and sources of pride are our alumni and friends who contribute in so many ways that make a difference. We couldn’t do it without you! The next time you visit campus, I invite you to stop by and see us in the new Health and Human Development Building, which anchors the bottom of the Old Main lawn near the intersection of College Avenue and Pugh Street. Warmly,
Ann C. Crouter Raymond E. and Erin Stuart Schultz Dean College of Health and Human Development
table of contents 2 Health and Human Development Strategic Plan — 2014-2019
6 New Health and Human Development Building 12 College research centers improve human health Dean
Ann C. Crouter
Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and Outreach Dennis Shea
Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Kathryn Drager
Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education Douglas Ford
Assistant Dean for Alumni Relations and Special Projects Abigail Diehl
Director of Development Kathleen Rider
15 College programs grow
World Campus Healthy People Penn State
16 HHD Alumni Society update 17 People impacting people
Alumni Spotlights Long-serving Faculty Members Reflect
24 Utilizing technology to improve health 28 Learning and leading with care
Beginning to Understand Homelessness OurStory/ Caring and Compassion
Magazine Production Designer
Dennis Maney
Writers/Editors Marjorie Miller Jennifer Miller Kevin Sliman
1.17.16
Director
Scott Sheaffer Articles may be reprinted with permission; for more information please contact the Office of College Relations at 814-865-3831 or healthhd@psu.edu. For general correspondence, please write to the Office of College Relations, College of Health and Human Development, The Pennsylvania State University, 325 Health and Human Development Building, University Park, PA 16802-6501; e-mail healthhd@psu.edu; or visit www.hhd.psu.edu. This publication is available in alternative media on request. Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce. (HHD16037) U.Ed. HHD 16-037
Join the College of Health and Human Development, the College of Nursing, and the HHD Alumni Society in supporting breast cancer awareness by attending our Pink Zone 2016 pre-game reception and the Penn State Lady Lions Pink Zone Basketball game against the Michigan Wolverines.
Sunday, January 17, 2016 Pre-game reception: 12:30 p.m. (free) Pink Zone basketball game: 2:00 p.m. (Group tickets $5 per person, order by December 11, 2015)
hhd.psu.edu/alumni/Pink-Zone
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STRATEGIC PLAN
College of Health and Human Development
Strategic Plan 2014-2019
The College of Health and Human Development continues to be a national and international leader in education, research, and outreach focused on improving human health, development, and quality of life. Such an ambitious goal requires calculated planning. That’s where strategic planning comes into the picture. Every five years, the college, under the leadership of Ann C. Crouter, Raymond E. and Erin Stuart Schultz Dean, drafts a detailed plan outlining the college’s future.
Our top goals:
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Enhancing Health and Well-Being The college’s mission is to “improve human health, development, and the quality of life for all people.”
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Transforming Education and Access Provide an excellent experience for students, inside and outside the classroom.
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Expanding Diversity and Inclusion Find effective ways to prevent problems and promote healthy living in culturally sensitive ways.
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Managing and Stewarding Resources
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Leveraging Digital Assets Deepen our expertise in the collection and analysis of complex digital data.
Apply our knowledge of health and healthy work environments to the HHD community.
Here are highlights demonstrating how the plan’s goals are being transformed into results: Build up expertise in the area of health and health care disparities The college has hired expert faculty members in the departments of Biobehavioral Health, Kinesiology, Nutritional Sciences, and Health Policy and Administration, whose work focuses on reducing inequalities in health, quality of health care, and access to care.
Enhance prevention science expertise The college named Diana H. Fishbein, an expert in behavioral neuroscience, director of the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center and professor of Human Development and Family Studies. She holds the C. Eugene Bennett Chair in Prevention Research. Fishbein is a distinguished scholar who brings a wealth of experience to the position and an emphasis on integrating prevention science and neuroscience. The college also hired D. Max Crowley, formerly a National Institutes of Health research fellow with the Center for Child and Family Policy at Duke University, as an assistant professor with the Department of Human Development and Family Studies.
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STRATEGIC PLAN
Develop a new center for individualized interventions to improve health
Increase impact with online education through Penn State World Campus
The college is exploring creating a new research center to catalyze innovative interdisciplinary research on individualized, adaptive interventions to improve health.
The college recently added several programs to Penn State World Campus, including the online Master of Health Administration.
This center will combine many of the college’s strengths to provide a holistic angle on personalized health as it plays out in everyday life and in real time. It will provide an opportunity to connect with the Social Science Research Institute, Penn State Institutes for Energy and the Environment, the Materials Research Institute, the Huck Institutes for the Life Sciences, the Institute for CyberScience, and the colleges of Engineering, Information Sciences and Technology, Nursing, and Medicine.
Take advantage of digital media The college has expanded its Office of College Relations to better take advantage of digital media by building a comprehensive and dynamic web and social media presence in order for departments, research centers, and the college to better collaborate and connect with prospective students, current students, and alumni.
The college is on track to add at least one new online degree program per year through 2019, with online bachelor’s degree programs expected to be added to the departments of Biobehavioral Health and Health Policy and Administration and an online Master of Professional Studies in Nutritional Sciences.
Improve health and wellness of faculty members and staff members The college encourages faculty members and staff members to participate in health-related efforts, such as Exercise is Medicine and the Center for Fitness and Wellness, as well as colloquia and presentations taking place throughout the college and to put such activities into their annual professional development plans. The college is also collaborating with the College of Nursing to develop a new wellness clinic for faculty and staff. The programs and clinic also provide students with opportunities to gain real-world, hands-on experience.
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Create more integrated degree programs for students The college is working to develop new programs modeled after the Department of Health Policy and Administration’s integrated program that enables a student to earn both a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in five years. The college is exploring a similar program with the College of Medicine to allow students in several HHD departments to earn both a bachelor’s degree and Master of Public Health in five years through a combination of online and in-residence courses.
Increase meaningful partnerships to offer students hands-on experiences The college continues to look for new opportunities for students to gain real-world experiences related to their field of study. The Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management has developed a meaningful partnership with Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center that offers students several opportunities to gain experience outside a traditional classroom while earning course credits.
—Jennifer Miller
Strategic Plan 2014-2019 To view the plan in its entirety, visit hhd.psu.edu/strategicplan
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Health and Human Development Building The new Health and Human Development Building connects campus with downtown State College. Situated near Pugh Street, it is filled with natural light via a glass wall facing College Avenue. The main entrance, from Old Main lawn, leads to an impressive atrium and central commons. The building is shared by the Dean’s Office, the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, and The Methodology Center.
‚ Designed with health in mind,
Photos by Paul Hazi (8)
offices feature height-adjustable desks to help staff and faculty members combat sedentary behavior, a major cardiovascular risk factor.
The Craig and Cindy Jackman Family Visitor Office in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies
The building was designed with collaboration in mind. Numerous meeting spaces equipped with the latest technology are available to enable ideageneration and innovation.
Roughly 35,000 square feet of Henderson Building South—which contained classrooms and laboratory space—was retained, renovated, and joined to the new Health and Human Development Building. Improvements to the remaining wing of Henderson South included new sprinklers and lights along with selective upgrades to the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system. The project team included architectural firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson; engineering firms Bruce E. Brooks and Associates, Robert Silman Associates, Michael Vergason Landscape Associates, and Sweetland Engineering; mechanical contractor The Farfield Company; construction manager Massaro CM Services; and general contractor Leonard S. Fiore. The building was funded by the Pennsylvania Department of General Services.
The Health and Human Development Building opened in June and was officially dedicated on Oct. 2, 2015.
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Pops of color throughout the building bring energy and cheer to staff, faculty, students, and visitors.
› The new Health and Human Development Building features a highly visible, sculptural staircase that encourages physical activity.
The Root of the Issue Gerry Spaid received Penn State’s Tree Preservation Award for his efforts during the Health and Human Development Building project. Spaid, an employee of the building construction team, was working on clearing away earth to make way for a new wall. Before he started clearing the dirt away with a large piece of equipment, he surveyed the area. He noticed that part of the area that he was supposed to clear was dangerously close to a large sycamore tree. Spaid alerted the appropriate people, and construction on that area stopped. The design team reviewed the situation and drew up alternative plans that would allow the retaining wall and sidewalk area to gracefully flow around the grand old tree’s roots. In retrospect, the University’s head arborist said that if Spaid had simply followed his orders, the large sycamore tree that sits in front of the new Health and Human Development Building would have likely died.
Photos by Paul Hazi (3)
Spaid’s wise decision to ask the question of whether his work would damage the tree’s roots ensured that the sycamore tree (est. planting in the 1930s) would thrive for years to come.
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To say thank you, leadership from Health and Human Development, Office of Physical Plant, and the construction companies affiliated with the building project presented Spaid with the award at a special ceremony held outside of the new Health and Human Development Building.
The Elms It is more than a piece of wood. It is a time capsule. It is preserved evidence. It is an anecdote, a flashback, and a reminder of another time. There is much value found in a carefully handcrafted table located inside the atrium of the new Health and Human Development Building along College Avenue near the Old Main lawn and Pugh Street. For more than one hundred years, University Park elm trees have served as iconic fixtures at the campus, etched into the memories of thousands of alumni. Unfortunately, in recent years — despite extensive efforts by Penn State plant pathologists, entomologists and the Office of Physical Plant (OPP) tree crews — disease decimated dozens of the trees, forcing their removal. The loss was difficult for the Penn State community, so much so that OPP worked with the Penn State Alumni Association to turn the elm wood into furniture for the community to purchase. A portion of the Elms Collection, which has generated more than $500,000, is used to plant new trees at University Park.
Photo by Kevin Sliman
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HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT BUILDING
Photo by Paul Hazi
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“The wood has intrinsic value and we wanted to use it in a meaningful way,” said Phillip Melnick, director of buildings and grounds for OPP. “The Elms Collection is important because it reutilizes the wood in a way that brings great value to campus and the people that purchase the Elms Collection products.” A portion of the elms is also being purposefully woven into the fabric of the University, including one elm planted in 1898 on the east side of Old Main Lawn on the Pugh Street Mall. The tree was 103 feet high with a 75-foot spread. Furniture maker Tom Svec of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, who spe-
Step by Step Furniture maker Tom Svec of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, who specializes in custom furniture design, spent months carefully shaping the trunk of that tree into a 12-foot table for the new Health and Human Development Building.
Photos by Tom Svec (3)
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cializes in custom furniture design, spent months carefully shaping one of roughly a dozen slabs that came from the base of the tree into a 12-foot table for the new Health and Human Development Building. “I think it is going to be a place that is going to be very productive intellectually and socially,” Svec said. “I was given a real marquis space to place this table.” But this table wrapped around a steel beam in an atrium space represents more than a beautiful piece of décor for an area where students and faculty members will undoubtedly congregate.
Photo by Kevin Sliman
“This particular tree grew within 100 yards of where it is now situated. I do not think it gets much better than that from the furniture designer perspective,” Svec said. “Plus the piece offers a point of reference in time. By counting the tree rings you can find your birth year. It offers a way of interaction that might stimulate students to explore a little bit more.” The table shows the vast life of this tree. The bottom of the table features a borehole with a beech wood plug that experts believe dates to the 1950s as part of a program to inoculate the trees. A brass pin embedded in the table top corresponds to 1955, the centennial of the founding of Penn State. A closer look at the tree’s rings shows the elm grew four inches in the 1950s, a time that included an economic boom under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Conversely, the tree grew less than one inch during the 1960s, a time of turmoil, which included the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, racial tensions at home, and a war in Vietnam. At both ends of the table there are remnants of chainsaw bypass cuts made by a Penn State arborist. “These were left in evidence to remind people that generations of these staffers have worked for years to preserve the canopy that defines the central campus,” Svec said. “This is dangerous and difficult work made more so by the trajectory of this latest disease. Of special note are the efforts of Phillip Melnick, Jeff Dice, supervisor of grounds maintenance, and others, who saw fit to make sure that the lumber was preserved.” Svec added, “My personal wish is to see to it that as many heritage trees as possible find their way indoors when their outdoor life is over. It may come to pass that huge trees of the sort that are abundant on the Penn State campus are a thing of memory.” The table is located on the third floor not far from the office of Ann C. Crouter, Raymond E. and Eric Stuart Schultz Dean of the College of Health and Human Development.
“The wood for the table came from a tree that used to grow very near the HHD building—that tree was, in a very real sense, a neighbor. I hope these gifts from the elms and the University will be treasured by the college for years to come,” Crouter said. Nearby, the Biobehavioral Health Building features elm paneling in an entrance area and conference room as well as benches. Burrowes Building, one of Penn State’s landmark buildings on the Pattee Mall, is undergoing renovations, which will include elm accent wall panels and a conference room table. “We are honored to have been able to incorporate wood from the Penn State elms into the design of our two new buildings,” Crouter said. “In each case, elm wood is featured in the entry ways to the buildings—a fitting way to honor the neighboring trees that have graced our part of campus for so long.”
Brass pin corresponding to 1955, Penn State’s centennial
Photos by Paul Hazi (2)
— Jennifer Miller
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RESEARCH CENTERS
College centers improve human health through innovative research
Center for Sport Concussion Research and Service The Center for Sport Concussion Research and Service is a multidisciplinary research and service center that examines residual cognitive and motor abnormalities in patients suffering from concussion. “The Center for Sport Concussion Research and Service is currently home to one of the leading facilities focused on traumatic brain injuries in athletics,” said Center Director Semyon Slobounov. “This center is unique because 3D virtual reality is incorporated with brain imaging research to examine the alteration of brain functions and structures in concussed individuals.”
Research Highlight: Preventing and Treating Concussions
Center for Health Care and Policy Research The mission of the Center for Health Care and Policy Research (CHCPR) is to create and disseminate new scientific knowledge that will help private and public decision-makers to develop cost-effective services and programs that improve people’s health. “Health and health care in the United States are heavily influenced by federal and state policy decisions, such as Medicare, Medicaid, drug and device approval, and insurance requirements,” said Center Director Dennis Scanlon. “CHCPR specializes in understanding how policy impacts health and its researchers’ work to study the impact of policy on health outcomes and to understand how policy can best be shaped to maximize the health of populations and the value for dollars spent.”
Research Highlight: Improving Health Care The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation awarded funding to CHCPR to lead an independent evaluation of the Aligning Forces for Quality (AF4Q) initiative, a $300 million effort to improve the overall quality of health care, reduce racial and ethnic disparities, and provide models for national reform. CHCPR has highlighted lessons learned from the work of AF4Q for policymakers and others who seek to improve health and health care quality. CHCPR has also provided inferences about the effect of AF4Q through the data collected and continued indepth analysis. In upcoming publications, CHCPR will further address initiatives identified by AF4Q.
The center has identified residual brain dysfunctions that were missing in clinical practice dealing with concussive injuries in athletics. This research project utilized advanced neuroimaging (MRI), electroencephalography (EEG) in conjunction with advanced technologies, such as motion tracking and virtual reality. Research funded by Spartan, Inc. is focusing on the effect of brain cooling on neurocognitive and metabolic functions in athletes suffering from concussive injuries. This research may potentially provide a solid foundation for treatment of concussion both in acute and chronic phases of injury. Another area of research is focused on quantification of collision in full-contact sports and its effect on brain functions. Athletes at risk for concussive blows underwent MRI, neuropsychological and blood biomarkers screening prior to full contact practices and games. The same screening protocol will be implemented at the end of the athletic season to determine the effect of multiple blows on basic brain functions.
Center for Childhood Obesity Research The mission of the center is to conduct interdisciplinary research that contributes to the evidence base needed to inform successful childhood obesity prevention programs that can then be disseminated to public health and clinical practice audiences. An overall theme of the research being conducted is the prevention of childhood obesity. Research ranges from observational studies to randomized controlled trials, to dissemination and implementation research with community partners. “Successful childhood obesity prevention will require preventive interventions that can produce changes at multiple levels: individuals, families, schools, health care providers, communities, and government policy,” said Jennifer Savage Williams, interim director of the center.
Research Highlight: Trimming Childhood Obesity The Evaluating Coordination of Care Between Pediatricians and WIC Nutritionists: Early Obesity Prevention for WIC Mothers and Children study aims to build and evaluate a Chronic Care Model for delivering consistent personalized messages. These messages would coordinate care across multiple settings to support mothers and children and their related health outcomes. The goal of the researchers’ solution-oriented approach is to optimize parenting education for the primary prevention of early pediatric obesity. The project was funded in April 2015 and is led by Williams, principal investigator, in collaboration with Geisinger Health Systems, Pennsylvania WIC, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center The mission of the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center is to conduct research, engage in outreach activities, and provide training and technical assistance to policy makers and communities on the prevention of problems and the promotion of positive development in children, youth, and families. The center is the home of the EPISCenter (Evidence-based Prevention and Intervention Support Center); the PRO (Prevention Research to Optimize)
Health Lab; and the Prevention Innovation Lab. Its work includes longitudinal, developmental research on risk and protective factors in children, families, and communities from the biobehavioral health level to the community level. Diana H. Fishbein, director, said the center continues to contribute to the development of the next generation of prevention scientists. “This is done through participation in externally funded training grants, mentoring of graduate and post-doctoral students, and involvement of undergraduates in our research and outreach activities,” she said.
Research Highlight: Identifying Early Indicators of Adult Success
Diana H. Fishbein has been named director of the Prevention Research Center and holds the C. Eugene Bennett Chair in Prevention Research.
A simple assessment of a child’s social-competency skills in kindergarten can predict his or her outcomes in early adulthood, according to recent analyses of data on 753 diverse kindergarten students collected via the Fast Track project, a two-decade study conducted by researchers from Penn State and Duke University. Team members found that kindergarten students who were more likely to share, cooperate, or be helpful with other kids were also more likely to be successful as young adults. In contrast, students who exhibited weaker social-competency skills were more likely to drop out of high school, abuse drugs and alcohol, and need greater government assistance. This new research comes on the heels of a body of findings which demonstrate that early learning and development has a significant impact on a child’s overall prosperity throughout their lives.
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RESEARCH CENTERS
Center for Healthy Aging The mission of the Center for Healthy Aging is to support research, education, and outreach that promotes emotional, physical, and cognitive health in older adults and their families. Its vision is to translate cutting-edge aging science into programs and products that transform old age into a long life. “We have pioneered and continue to develop novel methods for the study of adult development and aging, including the use of mobile technology to better understand how people behave and function in their natural environments,” said Martin Sliwinski, center director. The center’s interdisciplinary research integrates developmental science with epidemiology to develop innovative approaches to the prevention and management of chronic illnesses. Its cutting-edge research in the science of daily experience aims to understand how stress, pain, and sleep exert cumulative effects on quality of life and health through midlife to older age.
Research Highlight: Connecting Life Experiences to Healthy Aging The Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) project is a longitudinal study of midlife adult health and well-being funded by the National Institute of Aging. MIDUS employs a team of scholars and researchers to understand the interrelationships among physical, emotional, and cognitive health in a nationally representative sample of adults ranging in age from thirty-five to eighty. Researchers at Penn State led the team that collected daily information about people’s experiences and routines for a one-week period and examined how these experiences are linked to family life, emotional health, and biological risk factors. A major finding from this study was how people react emotionally to everyday hassles predicts the development of chronic health problems up to ten years later.
The Methodology Center The mission of The Methodology Center is to advance public health by improving experimental design and data analysis in the social, behavioral, and health sciences. “The Methodology Center serves as a national resource in the development and dissemination of innovative research methods,” said Center Director Linda Collins. The center’s projects provide the tools needed for scientists to reduce the damage caused by activities such as substance abuse, addiction, and other dangerous behaviors.
Research Highlight: Using Science to Tackle Addiction The multiphase optimization strategy (MOST) is one of several methods under development at The Methodology Center. MOST is a framework for engineering effective and efficient behavioral interventions while carefully managing resources to maximize scientific knowledge. Interventions designed to treat behavior typically involve many components. For example, a smoking intervention may include pre-quit counseling, nicotine gum, and post-quit counseling. MOST enables researchers to test each intervention component in a way that results in scientific progress regardless of the results of the experiment. MOST also enables researchers to gain the greatest amount of knowledge about each component from the fewest research subjects. Collins conceptualized and created MOST. Along with methodological work, The Methodology Center researchers have created tutorials and software to enable other researchers to use MOST. Currently, large-scale projects are using MOST to build interventions that address smoking, drug and alcohol abuse, obesity, risky sex, and more.
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College’s Online Programs Grow Through Penn State World Campus 4000
2014-2015
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2,984
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The2013-2014 number of students taking a Health and Human Development World Campus course grew by 30% in one year
HHD Students
The flexibility has been the best part of this program, as it allows me to manage my work demands, family, and education. I am receiving education from instructors who also teach at traditional Penn State campuses. Because of this, I am receiving a highquality education that just happens to be convenient. – Jessica Pulliam Petrunak, Human Development and Family Studies
Healthy People Penn State Healthy People Penn State, a research conference and expo sponsored by the College of Health and Human Development and College of Nursing, has celebrated its fifth successful year. Under the leadership of Joyce Hopson-King, director of diversity enhancement, and Linda Ann Wray, associate professor of biobehavioral health, Healthy People Penn State introduces potential graduate students from traditionally underrepresented groups to the colleges’ graduate programs. The event provides academically successful participants an opportunity to engage with current graduate students and faculty members to see if Penn State would be the right fit for their graduate studies.
28 81
199 99
Students majoring in a Health and Human Development World Campus program Human Development and Family Studies Bachelor of Science Human Development and Family Studies Associate of Science Master of Health Administration
September 2015
Health Policy and Administration Bachelor of Science
The efforts have paid off. Over the last five years, the number of Healthy People Penn State attendees has increased with 34 participants applying to the two colleges’ graduate programs. Heather Collins-Farmer, a Biobehavioral Health graduate student who received bachelor’s degrees in gerontology and public health from the University of South Florida, decided to apply to Penn State only after attending Healthy People Penn State. Not only was Collins-Farmer struck by the passion for research among faculty members, she was also impressed by the amount of guidance offered, from one-on-one interaction with professors-in-charge to specific advice regarding the graduate school application process. “It was a life-changing experience to attend Healthy People Penn State. Not only did it inform me about the programs offered in Health and Human Development, but it also gave me more confidence and helped me to better prepare myself for applying to graduate school,” said Collins-Farmer.
Planned Growth for 2016-17 • Biobehavioral Health Bachelor of Science • Master of Professional Studies in Nutritional Sciences
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ALUMNI
Dear Alumni, The HHD Alumni Society is as busy as ever. We’ve continued to support our existing programs that serve our mission, “to promote the engagement and interaction of alumni, faculty, staff, and students through innovative programs and activities.” One example is the HHD Mentoring Program, which pairs students with alumni working in their field of interest. We also continue to partner with HHD and the College of Nursing (CON) to support the Pennsylvania Pink Zone. This year’s Pink Zone game has been scheduled for January 17 with Lady Lions Basketball vs. Michigan. Please look for information about a pre-game reception for HHD/CON alumni and help us set another attendance record! Details: hhd.psu.edu/alumni/Pink-Zone We are continuing our tradition of developing innovative programs that connect alumni with each other and with students. We recently developed and unveiled a program called TRACS, TRansition Assistance for Change-of-Campus Students, which aims to support HHD students who are transitioning to University Park from another Penn State campus. Students who enroll in TRACS will be paired with a peer mentor (a fellow HHD student who transitioned from another campus the previous year) and an alumni mentor. Both peer and alumni mentors provide students with tips and advice about campus life, and alumni mentors in particular provide career advice. If you would like to serve as an alumni mentor in TRACS, please visit hhd.psu.edu/tracs. We have many other programs and initiatives in the works – these include a program to engage parents of HHD students, increase attendance at alumni events in major cities, and support of our affiliate program groups’ activities. For more information about these programs and how to get involved, please contact the HHD Office of Alumni Relations at 814865-3831 or hhdevents@psu.edu. Jeffrey Sarabok ’91 HPA President, Health and Human Development Alumni Society
Affiliate Program Groups – Get involved, stay connected By being involved with College of Health and Human Development Affiliate Program Groups (APGs), alumni have the opportunity to stay connected with current students, faculty and staff members, and fellow alumni. Join us by actively participating in your department’s APG—your alumni group. There are no membership fees to join or participate. The APGs offer: • • • •
Networking with fellow alumni Opportunities to mentor students News from your department And more!
alumni.hhd.psu.edu
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Speech-language pathologist Hillman preserves voices recognized around the world When Bob Hillman came to Penn State on an athletic scholarship for the men’s cross country and track and field teams, he began studying English and journalism with plans to become a high school teacher. Little did Hillman know that instead he would one day help preserve voices known around the world, from actress and singer Julie Andrews to vocalist Steven Tyler of Aerosmith. Hillman started down that path as a sophomore when he enrolled in an introductory speech and hearing disorders course as an elective. With one course, Hillman was hooked. He decided he wanted to become a speech-language pathologist and selected Communication Sciences and Disorders as a major. Hillman, recipient of the 1974 Ernest B. McCoy Award as the outstanding senior scholar-athlete, received a bachelor’s degree in 1974 and master’s degree in 1975 at Penn State, which prepared him to qualify for certification by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. While earning his master’s degree, under the direction of Harvey Gilbert, Hillman conducted his thesis, which ignited his passion for research. That passion prompted Hillman to earn his doctoral degree at Purdue University and pursue a career devoted largely to research. Since then, Hillman has been awarded more than twenty-five grants to support his research. The National Institutes of Health has granted him funding since 1984. His research has appeared in more than 140 publications, covering many basic areas associated with human voice production including the development of new ways to assess and treat voice disorders. The impact includes helping to develop the first voice prosthesis for laryngectomy patients that can be controlled by electrical signals from neck muscles, and the first commercially available ambulatory voice monitoring and biofeedback system for diagnosing and treating common voice disorders. “I feel very fortunate to have found a career that, after more than thirty years, I am still very passionate about,” Hillman said. “I get almost daily positive reinforcement and gratitude from the pa-
tients I see clinically, and deep satisfaction from doing research that has a clinical impact.” Hillman is currently the co-director and research director of the Center for Laryngeal Surgery and Voice Rehabilitation at Massachusetts General Hospital. The group specializes in treating serious laryngeal diseases, such as cancer and papilloma, while preserving or restoring vocal function. “The courage and positive attitude of many of these patients is truly inspiring, and it is extremely gratifying when we can not only effectively treat their disease but also maintain or improve their voices,” Hillman said. Throughout Hillman’s career he has treated a diverse group of patients, including celebrities. Pressure increases when working with a patient whose livelihood is dependent upon his or her voice, Hillman said. “Voice loss has a devastating impact on almost everyone who experiences it, so we always feel a great responsibility to help every patient we see,” he said. “There is added pressure anytime you are working with someone who depends on their voice to make a living, whether it’s a celebrity performer, or a trial lawyer, or teacher.” Hillman is also professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School and director of Research Programs and professor of communication disorders at MGH Institute of Health Professions. Additionally, he mentors doctoral students in the Boston area enrolled in various programs, including Harvard, MIT, and a rehabilitation sciences program Hillman developed at the MGH Institute of Health Professions.
Hillman Receives Distinguished Alumni Award In 2015, Penn State Board of Trustees selected Robert Hillman as one of eight Penn State alumni to receive the Distinguished Alumni Award, the University’s highest award for an individual. The honor recognizes his distinguished career in speech pathology and his contributions toward improving the diagnosis and treatment of voice disorders. The reverse side of the medal reads: Distinguished Alumnus Award presented to Robert Hillman whose personal life, professional achievements, and community service exemplify the objectives of The Pennsylvania State University.
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
New PEMA director reflects on Penn State experience Decades before Richard Flinn Jr. ’79 HPA, became head of emergency management operations for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, he was working as an EMT at Penn State, teaching first aid courses to students and faculty members across the state, and earning a bachelor of science degree in health planning and administration. Today, Flinn, whom Gov. Tom Wolf recently appointed as director of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, oversees statewide response to disasters and initiatives to prevent and reduce the effects of disasters. A combination of his time serving as a firefighter, EMT, and paramedic; more than 35 years of military experience; and academics, including his time at Penn State, prepared Flinn for his new role. At Penn State, Flinn said he gained many critical skills he still utilizes, such as public speaking, interpreting statistical analyses, and other skills specific to emergency management. “What I learned at Penn State, from a planning perspective, is the idea of really understanding how you look at a problem,” Flinn said. “First defining a problem, working your way through it, coming up with various courses of action, and then developing an implementation plan.” In 1972, Flinn enrolled at Penn State Beaver with an interest in journalism and experience as a sports writer. A year later, during the Vietnam War, Flinn began his military career by serving in the U.S. Army as an active duty combat medic and medical clinical specialist from 1973-1976. Next, Flinn enrolled at University Park to complete his bachelor’s degree. With extensive emergency response and medical experience on his resume, Flinn changed his area of study to health planning and administration. While studying, he served as an EMT at University Park.
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Instead of tailgating before football games, he sat on the hood of an ambulance inside Beaver Stadium ready to assist with medical emergencies. “Years later, I took my son to a game and experienced tailgating for the first time,” Flinn said. “It was a tremendous experience.” While Flinn was at Penn State, David Lindstrom, former director of emergency preparedness in the College of Medicine at Penn State, became Flinn’s mentor. During summer breaks, the pair traveled to Penn State campuses teaching instructors a continuing education course in classroom emergency care. Flinn also instructed first aid courses to students at University Park. “If it wasn’t for Lindstrom and Penn State, I probably wouldn’t be sitting here today,” Flinn said. Wolf appointed Flinn as director of PEMA in January. He is also a member of the governor’s cabinet. “My goal is to make us one of the best emergency management agencies in the country,” Flinn said. Most recently, Flinn served as the deputy director of the Operations Division at the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Washington, D.C. Flinn retired in December 2013 from the Pennsylvania Army National Guard as the commander for the Pennsylvania Medical Command with the rank of colonel. Flinn has a master’s degree in governmental administration from the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff School and is a certified emergency manager from the International Association of Emergency Managers.
Filling a void: Penn State alumna takes on autism in Sri Lanka As an undergraduate speech-language pathology student in India, for the first time Nimisha Muttiah had the opportunity to work with children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) at specialized pre-schools. After the experience, Muttiah returned to her home country of Sri Lanka where she started working with three children with ASD. That is when Muttiah noticed something was missing. “Parents were desperately looking for professionals who would work with their children and for schools that would accept these children,” Muttiah said.
bit.ly/1MUacSD
Muttiah earned a master’s degree in communication sciences and disorders at Bowling Green State University before enrolling at Penn State where she earned a doctoral degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders in May 2015. While at Penn State, Muttiah wanted to apply what she was learning in the classroom directly to her community in Sri Lanka.
“I saw for myself the lack of professional and material resources and felt there was a genuine need and void that needed to be filled.” — Nimisha Muttiah “With my focus areas in mind, I studied at Penn State and spent my summers in Sri Lanka implementing my research,” Muttiah said. Muttiah’s dissertation research study involved training special education teachers in Sri Lanka who worked with students with severe communication needs. While state-of-the-art technology is available in the United States to help children with ASD better communicate, Muttiah knew such resources would not be accessible to parents in Sri Lanka. Therefore, she researched low-technology communication options that could be used in developing countries and other low-resource communities. Muttiah conducted workshops with teachers and parents, presented public talks on topics such as ASD, and conducted presentations for general physicians to help them recognize ASD. She also provided physicians with educational resources for children. “I feel that the work I have currently done in Sri Lanka is barely scratching the surface,” Muttiah said. “There is much more that needs to happen in order for children with special needs to receive satisfactory educational and communication services.” Muttiah plans to one day continue her efforts in Sri Lanka. Currently, Muttiah is a speech language pathologist at Franciscan Hospital for Children in Boston.
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LONGTERM FACULTY
Faculty members cite student engagement as career reward Frank Ahern
Penny Kris-Etherton
Biobehavioral Health
Nutritional Sciences
A senior research associate and professor-in-charge of undergraduate programs in the Department of Biobehavioral Health (BBH), Frank Ahern has been a part of BBH for twenty years. In 1984, he was invited to Penn State from the University of Hawaii to be a member of the Center for Developmental and Health Genetics. “I was lucky to be involved in establishing the BBH graduate and undergraduate programs and especially for supporting the inclusion of epidemiology as a required component of the undergraduate curriculum,” said Ahern. In 1996, BBH expanded to offer a bachelor of science degree program. Ahern joined as part of the curriculum development committee for the new undergraduate program. In 1997, he accepted the role of professor-in-charge of the undergraduate program. “In the early days of BBH the undergraduate program was relatively unknown,” Ahern said. “Now our class sizes are much larger, and we continue to grow.” One of Ahern’s former students, Jian Ding, said Ahern provided him with support, guidance and encouragement throughout his studies.
“His professionalism, work ethics, and wisdom will always guide me through my career and life.”
— Jian Ding ‘10g BBH
Ding, a health outcomes scientist for Magellan Health Services who graduated in 2010, said that as an international student, communication was sometimes challenging. Ding said Ahern gave him good suggestions on improving his English and worked with instructors to try to find ways to help him in class. Ahern also encouraged him to present his work at conferences and attend workshops and summer schools at other universities, Ding said. “These experiences together with my training under his supervision made me well prepared for my career,” Ding said.
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Penny Kris-Etherton, Distinguished Professor of Nutrition, believes what we eat has the power to change the world. Since coming to Penn State in 1979, Kris-Etherton has held numerous positions in the Department of Nutritional Sciences, including the Didactic Program and Dietetics director, where she worked with students interested in pursuing a career in dietetics. “It’s always been a program of excellence,” she said. “Over the years it has grown and evolved.” The department now covers more areas of nutritional sciences, including epidemiology, global nutrition, chronic diseases, ingestive behavior, and childhood nutrition. “What we eat can affect our lives in very profound ways.”
— Penny Kris-Etherton
Kris-Etherton, who has more than 300 publications in refereed journals, says her passion for the study of nutritional sciences has many facets. Eating habits can affect personal risk of chronic diseases, micronutrient deficiencies and excesses, families and social circles, and future generations, she said. Mike Flock, a senior research investigator of global nutrition for DuPont Nutrition & Health, said he credits Kris-Etherton for his success in the field. “I was a graduate assistant in her lab from 2010 to 2014 and had a phenomenal experience,” he said. “She is an extremely genuine and caring individual, which is reflected in her approach to training new scientists. Penny provides her students with endless opportunities, whether it’s managing a clinical study, writing a review article, or attending scientific conferences. Penny makes sure her students are exposed to all facets of nutrition research.” Today, Kris-Etherton is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Pennsylvania Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In 2014 she was appointed to the science board of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition.
Rhonda BeLue
Albert Bartlett
Health Policy and Administration
Hospitality Management
As an academic adviser, Rhonda BeLue made a particular impact on Chelsie White while she was earning her master’s degree in Health Policy and Administration (HPA).
Bart Bartlett has a unique vantage point as associate director and professor-in-charge of the undergraduate program for the School of Hospitality Management.
“During my time and thereafter at Penn State, Dr. BeLue has acted as a mentor to me,” White said. “Her openness to my ideas and her ability to hone my skills in research have had a tremendous impact on my personal and professional journey. Dr. BeLue afforded me the opportunity to examine public health, chronic disease, and health disparities both inside and outside the classroom. By doing so, she prepared me with skills well beyond that of an early career professional.”
Working with first-year students in introductory courses, Bartlett watches students as their eyes are opened to the possibilities within the hospitality industry. As a faculty member for the Advanced Professional Seminar in Hospitality Management, Bartlett sees upper classman accept positions in the industry.
BeLue, associate professor of health policy and administration, public health sciences, and demography, has taught at Penn State since 2005. She has mentored numerous undergraduate and graduate students in conducting research, as well as disseminating their findings in venues such as national professional meetings. “In order to present at this level, I needed to complete some intensive statistical analysis,” White said. “I was able to complete the analysis with her guidance and support, and ultimately presented at the national conference.” Today, White is a senior technical associate at The MayaTech Corporation, a small federal contracting firm in Silver Spring, Maryland. White works closely with health centers and health departments in New York and Massachusetts to routinize HIV screening. “Engaging with students helps me understand how to teach to a variety of learning styles and to get to know students beyond their classroom performance.”
— Rhonda BeLue
BeLue received the 2015 Penn State Multicultural Resource Center Diversity award and was named 2014 Distinguished Honors Faculty with the Schreyer Honors College. Her research related to health disparities in families and children, evaluation methodology, vulnerable populations, and global health has been published in many influential peer-reviewed journals. BeLue especially appreciates her engagement with students, which she described as a “mentoring family.” “Students whom I have the opportunity to engage with are the ones with whom I have long-term professional relationships,” BeLue said. “Former students with whom I still work also help mentor my current students.”
“It’s fun to watch students grow,” Bartlett said. “I see them transition from being new at the university and the industry to more mature and prepared young people who are ready to tackle the challenges of the industry and be successful.” In his thirty-fourth year at Penn State, engaging with undergraduate students continues to be the best part of Bartlett’s career. “It’s the energy. They’re working to understand the industry and discover their passion, and I hope to help them succeed by giving them the skills and the perspective they need to be successful,” said Bartlett ’75 FSHA. “The part of the job I like the most is working with undergraduate students. They’re excited, they’re enthusiastic, and in the hospitality field all of that energy and personality is a requirement for success.” Bartlett has made a lasting impact on many students, including William Yahr, who graduated in 2001 and is now hotel manager of The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove in Miami, Florida.
“Bart was an incredible professor who knows how to reach his audience. He taught life lessons that were not always found in the book, which allowed me to learn more.”
— William Yahr ’01 HR&IM
Yahr remains in contact with Bartlett, viewing him as a “sounding board” for his career path. “He is a mentor to many in and out of school, a true testament to him and our wonderful school,” Yahr said. In the end, Bartlett hopes his students take away two key qualities: a love for Penn State and the ability to be successful in the hospitality industry. “I believe that our school’s success is measured by our students’ success, so when our students are successful, all of our faculty and staff members are able to bask in their reflected glory,” Bartlett said.
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LONGTERM FACULTY
Anthony D’Augelli
Robert Ricketts
Human Development and Family Studies
Kinesiology
Anthony D’Augelli, professor of human development and family studies (HDFS), has made enormous strides in a field where just twenty years ago, funding and attention were limited and topics were largely misunderstood and often considered taboo. Today, the study of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) populations is gaining ground, and much of that success is because of researchers like D’Augelli.
A faculty member at Penn State since 1977, Bob Ricketts is a senior lecturer in the Department of Kinesiology.
D’Augelli has been writing papers and conducting empirical research on LGBT populations for twenty-five years. He joined HDFS in 1972. When D’Augelli began his work on LGBT populations, the field of psychological research on this group was extremely limited, said Douglas Teti, professor head of HDFS.
“He was among the first to write of the developmental issues facing LGB (transgender was not even identified at that time) people over the lifespan, the first to direct attention to the needs of LGB youth and their families, and the first to encourage concern with the major contexts that influence LGB lives.”
— Douglas Teti, Professor and Head, HDFS
D’Augelli said seeing LGBT youth as vulnerable is what prompted him to pursue LGBT studies. As an adviser to a gay student group at Penn State, D’Augelli learned that things which happened to those students while in high school could affect their mental health later in life. Today, he hopes to continue to influence the LGBT population through research and teaching, as well as lead the way for younger researchers interested in this area, like Marco Hidalgo. “The two months I spent training in Tony’s lab were full of rich learning experiences on how to run a study from the ground up, how to engage LGBT communities in health-related research, and how to be a good scientific writer,” said Hidalgo, a former student who said it was D’Augelli’s mentorship that influenced his decision to become a clinical psychologist focusing on LGBT health. “He had a great team of students, most of whom were LGBT and sought him out because, like me, they had both an intellectual and deeply personal interest in his research program on LGBT youth,” said Hidalgo.
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Ricketts was professor-in-charge of the undergraduate program in the mid-1990s and early 2000s. Throughout his time in the department, he has made many contributions, including the creation of the Kinesiology Club in 1995, which today has more than 350 members, as well as a kinesiology alumni roundtable and a kinesiology-specific career fair. One of Ricketts’ biggest contributions is his implementation of a series of outdoor experiential courses, which takes students into the wilderness to develop a variety of life skills, including survival. Ricketts said he began offering off-site courses thirty years ago, and through them, students have had the opportunity to go sailing, canoeing, backpacking, and hiking, in such places as the Alps and the Florida Keys. “It’s a great way to get the students engaged beyond the classroom,” said Ricketts. At the end of the course, Ricketts has his students jot down a few goals for life after college, challenges they would like to take on or projects they want to complete. Students put these goals inside an envelope, and a few years later, Ricketts sends a postcard to the students to see if they have accomplished their goals. “You never meet anyone who didn’t love their experience at Penn State, so there must be some other professors out there giving kids a great experience. For me it was Bob.”
— David Capezzuti, ‘90 EXSCI
“In Bob’s class it was more about the person you became at the end of the semester,” said Jared Melzer, a 2004 graduate. “What did you do with the knowledge to better yourself, and more importantly, the people around you? I think that’s the golden nugget of education and Bob exemplified that every day.” David Capezzuti, a 1990 graduate with a degree in exercise and sports science, said Ricketts introduced him to experiential education and the wilderness. “I believe it will soon be time to let the next generation take over,” Ricketts said. “But I’m still having fun. Penn State’s been good to me, and I think I’ve been good to Penn State.”
Deborah Kerstetter
Sommar Chilton
Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Deb Kerstetter did not have plans to become a college professor. With two parents as educators, she shied away from the academic profession.
When instructing an introductory course for American Sign Language, on the first day of class, Sommar Chilton uses sign language to introduce herself and the course to students.
However, everything changed when Herberta Lundegren suggested she pursue a doctorate in recreation and parks at Penn State. “She spent so much time with her students and treated us with respect,” Kerstetter said. “I owe a lot to her.”
“I’ve always tried to teach something that is meaningful, which is often drawn from my own experiences.”
— Deb Kerstetter
Now, as a professor and professor-in-charge of graduate studies for the Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management (RPTM), Kerstetter takes pride in the relationships she builds with students, whether in the classroom or through advising. Kerstetter joined Penn State in 1984 as an instructor. After earning her doctorate, she began supervising graduate dissertations and theses. From 1995 to 2011, she was the professor-in-charge of RPTM’s honors program. “Students teach me not only about themselves, but they teach me about myself. I’ve learned how to be a better writer, a better listener, and how to be more empathetic,” Kerstetter said. Kerstetter made a lasting impact on Chris Saello, who graduated in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in RPTM and is now senior vice president of the United Way of Chester County. “When I was a student at Penn State, I was really just treading water trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life,” said Saello. “Then I met Deb Kerstetter, who was assigned as my academic adviser, and my life changed forever for the better. Deb got me to focus, helped me find my passion, pushed me to get engaged in activities in my major and the University, and above all else encouraged me to keep going when times got tough.” Kerstetter is now Saello’s mentor and recently offered his daughter guidance as she considers the College of Health and Human Development in her college search. “My love and passion for Penn State is a direct result of Deb’s love and passion for her job and for her tireless commitment to making sure that her students succeed in work and in life,” Saello said.
Most students look back at her with blank stares or confusion. “That day we make an agreement to each commit to the class,” Chilton said. “With their efforts in the course, fifteen weeks later I sign the same introduction and this time the room is filled with students who are able to follow along and understand what all their hard work in and out of our class has enabled them to do.” Chilton, an instructor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, has taught at Penn State since 2001. During that time she developed and taught the department’s first Penn State World Campus course, served as adviser to the Penn State Sign Language student organization, and received the College of Health and Human Development Alumni Society Excellence in Teaching Award.
“When a student says to me that I made a difference in their lives or I helped them to think about something from a different perspective, whether it is people who are deaf or sign language, that is the best thing I could ask for from my students.”
— Sommar Chilton
For Chilton, one of the most rewarding aspects of her career is making a positive impact on her students. “Knowing that they have the opportunity to leave our time together with more than they started with is what keeps me coming back to do it all over again,” Chilton said. One of those students is Laura Stephan, who graduated from Penn State in 2004 and is now a speech-language pathologist who works with blind and deaf-blind pre-school students. Chilton instructed one of Stephan’s first classes at Penn State. “It quickly changed my life,” Stephan said. “Sommar opened my eyes to a language and a culture that I would not have had much exposure to, otherwise.” After enrolling in several courses instructed by Chilton, Stephan became a teacher’s aide for Chilton. “My professional path was shaped by that very first class, and without Sommar’s influence, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” Stephan said.
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TECHNOLOGY
Utilizing technology to improve health Researchers throughout the College of Health and Human Development are using, advancing— and in many cases innovating—technologies to improve the health, well-being, and quality of life across populations. – Marjorie Miller
Real-time data collection, real-time intervention
Collecting data in real time versus when reported from memory can yield better interventions
bit.ly/1GnEFJd Controlling diabetes
Influencing health goals
Peter Molenaar, Distinguished Professor of Human Development and Family Studies, is researching how an “artificial pancreas” can be used to optimize insulin doses in patients with Type 1 diabetes.
Nilam Ram, associate professor of human development and family studies and psychology, aims to develop ways for people to use their own data to reach their health goals, such as better controlling drinking, smoking, and eating behaviors.
Analyzing semi-continuous data gathered via sensors and photos of meals submitted by participants, researchers developed a model predictive control used to regulate blood glucose levels to a target range with at least 90 percent accuracy. “It will take lots of work to apply it to patients in real-time,” he said. “But when the system and models are worked out, individuals will have an easier time regulating their diabetes.” Molenaar is collaborating on this project with fellow Penn State faculty members Qian Wang, professor of mechanical engineering, and Jan S. Ulbrecht, M.D., professor of biobehavioral health and medicine.
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“Since 2009, we began building the infrastructure to collect self-reports of health and health behaviors via smartphones in real time,” Ram said. Information about feelings, actions, and events encountered are collected via apps and websites as individuals go about their daily lives. As the data are analyzed, researchers make visualizations and sounds of those data. Long-term, these models are intended to help steer individuals toward their health goals through delivery of personalized, time-sensitive interventions to their mobile devices.
Rare instrument collects data on people with speech disorders Jimin Lee, assistant professor of communication sciences and disorders, is using a rare instrument to study patients who have difficulty speaking due to conditions like Dysarthria (a secondary result of ALS and other neurological conditions). The instrument, a portable electromagnetic articulograph, is one of just thirteen in the United States. Also known as the Wave system, the instrument measures the movement of the tongue, lips, jaw, and other structures important in speech production using an electromagnetic field, while simultaneously recording the sounds made by the patient. “The ultimate goal is to identify movement to improve patients’ speech intelligibility or the amount of words others can understand, which may significantly improve their quality of life,” Lee said.
Cooling concussion impacts Semyon Slobounov, professor of kinesiology and director of the Center for Sport Concussion Research and Service, studies sportsrelated traumatic brain injuries using advanced virtual reality and brain imaging tools. Slobounov is studying healthy adult volunteers and Penn State studentathletes at risk for concussion. Using a “cooling helmet” system that circulates chilled liquid around the scalp and back of the neck, researchers examine the effect of cooling on neurocognitive, balance, and executive functions. “Our hypothesis is that cooling the brain may lessen the severity of injury,” Slobounov said. “This treatment may play a significant role in reducing and/or potentially preventing further damage due to concussion.”
Facing the future of communication Tim Brick, assistant professor of human development and family studies, is interested in the way humans interact with their environments and with each other. He seeks to help people who have difficulty understanding and interpreting social-emotional signals. “Social-emotional signals are the signals we transmit to each other all the time when we interact, including things like body language, facial expression, eye contact, gaze direction, and tone of speech,” Brick said. Using computer avatars, participants are asked to conduct an unstructured video-conference conversation with someone
they do not know. Changes to things like the apparent sex and apparent identity of the other participant occur in realtime. As the conversation goes on, neither person realizes the modification is occurring. Image-processing technologies measure various signals of synchronization and symmetry involved in the conversation. “The ability to recognize and interpret social-emotional signals can be very difficult for people suffering from many disabilities, most notably autism,” Brick said. “With information we gather, we seek to improve training tools to help individuals better reach their goals.”
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TECHNOLOGY
bit.ly/1MXpnub
Child plays cello thanks to technology, community Professor of Kinesiology Stephen Piazza learned of a local elementary school student with a passion for music. A medical issue prevents nine-year-old Daniel Quinn from properly gripping the bow of a cello, the instrument he is determined to play. Piazza and his students decided to help make Daniel’s dream come true. They worked with Daniel and his family to design and build a “bow grip adapter” specifically suited to play the cello. “When Dr. Piazza first introduced us to the cello project, I knew it would be an amazing experience for myself and the other interns,” said Miranda Moravetz, who graduated with a degree in Kinesiology in May 2015 and was involved in the project. “Being a Kinesiology student interested in pursuing occupational therapy, this was one of the most beneficial and hands-on projects I could have hoped to be presented with.” Now, Daniel is playing his instrument on stage thanks to the efforts of Piazza and his students, a group determined to help other young musicians with disabilities achieve their dreams. “We’re hoping that other kids with disabilities and their parents might understand that playing an instrument is a possibility for their children, and that there are local resources available for making custom-made devices,” Piazza said. “We made Daniel’s appliance with donated materials, so if we could attract donations for future projects that would be a bonus.”
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Engagement leads to success Researchers in the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center have demonstrated that students engaged in their environments can be more successful down the road. These results have led to a technology-based platform called Live It. “Students who connect with their peers and the community around them experience something enriching,” said Meg Small, assistant director for innovations and social change in the center. “Meaningful connections help students develop valuable skills for career and life success. Students who were more socially engaged reported higher levels of adjustment which were associated with gains in learning.” Live It is a platform delivered via the web and a mobile app that provides students with access to a range of meaningful activities outside the classroom. Through the platform, sponsors contribute to gift cards redeemable for activities outside the classroom (e.g., arts, entertainment, events) that can positively influence students.
Events allow students to make friends, network, and build community.
Live It increases: • • • • •
Sense of identity and self-confidence Risk-taking for personal growth and accomplishment Positive emotions Contact with diverse students Communication skills
Sounds impact health The Social Science Acoustics Lab in the Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management investigates the impact natural sounds have on human health. The lab seeks to explore and address the complexities and impacts of increasing noise in natural environment, said Peter Newman, professor and head of the department. Participants are first challenged with cognitive tasks, such as numerical memorization. They are then prompted to watch videos of park settings and visualize themselves there. Delivered randomly, participants are exposed to video without audio, video with natural sounds, or video with manmade noises (e.g., motorcycles or planes). Afterward, the participants are given a cognitive test to measure how well they recovered from the first task. Results can be used to inform public policy on community noise and provide potential health interventions that may moderate human stress.
bit.ly/1JQitlC
Reaching for results in stroke patients Developed by Robert Sainburg, professor of kinesiology and neurology, KineReach is a virtual-reality device used to test subjects’ arm movements to understand brain function. Sainburg’s most recent studies focus on stroke patients, in hopes of changing the way physical rehabilitation is done. The device is akin to a set of tables positioned closely together. Visual targets are projected onto a surface giving the illusion that the image displayed is on the same horizontal plane as the participant’s arms, which are supported by air sleds that glide over the tabletop. With their arms, participants work to accomplish tasks associated with the projections while researchers measure their progress. “I think we have the potential to make a substantial influence on the way therapists approach patients with severe paresis in one arm,” Sainburg said.
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BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND HOMELESSNESS
Beginning to Understand Homelessness Homelessness often conjures up images of lonely individuals living on the streets of major metropolitan areas. However, the reality is that the look of homelessness can be as varied as its causes. It is present in large cities as well as small communities. Nearly forty percent of those who are homeless are families with children, according to The National Center on Family Homelessness. Some are employed. The causes of homelessness are extensive, including the loss of a loved one, unemployment, domestic violence, and divorce. Other causes include mental health issues, such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as physical disabilities, according to the National Coalition for the Homeless. In short, homelessness can affect a large population, either directly or indirectly.
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Students in the College of Health and Human Development often find careers in fields that serve the homeless. Whether they are administrators of health care facilities, managers of social services, physicians, counselors, or any number of other service-related careers, students will likely, at some point in their career, work with people wrestling with homelessness. For this reason, the college is committed to helping students prepare to serve those who are homeless with care and compassion. Through both classroom instruction and real-world experience, students in the college are learning about this population, the challenges they face, and the needs they have. In a new Human Development and Family Studies class, Associate Professor H. Harrington (Bo) Cleveland is introducing the issue of homelessness to his students. His class has two goals: exposing students to the literature in the area of homelessness, specifically adolescent homelessness; and allowing them to apply what they have learned in other classes about human development to the challenging situation that a person who is homeless faces. “We learn a lot of things in other classes about standard development and the standard developmental tasks that should be accomplished during adolescence,” said Cleveland. “But what happens when people are in stressful and unpredictable environments? What happens to their ability to address these fundamental tasks?” Cleveland said he wants students to take what they have learned in other classes and apply that to a much more stressful situation.
I want to have students think about what they were doing when they were the age of the homeless youth we study in class, and have students consider the instability that homeless youth experience, whether that is living on the streets, multiple foster care placements, or living in a shelter. – Bo Cleveland, Associate Professor Cleveland added that it is important for students to learn about what they can do concerning homelessness. “It just seems so insurmountable,” Cleveland said. “To give them the chance to get involved, to understand what is happening in the community, and have them get to know people who are working in the area, so then they know they can do this themselves.” The course also prepares students to conduct community needs assessments on homelessness. They learn what data have to be gathered, including how many people are homeless in the area; the demographics of those individuals, such as families with children, single people, and adolescents, and the resources that these populations need; and compare those resource needs to the resources available in different communities. In the Department of Health Policy and Administration, Research Associate Professor Caprice Knapp examines a facet of homelessness in her health care safety net course. In the class, students explore the health issues surrounding those who cannot afford or do not qualify for health insurance and the medical care that is available to them.
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BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND HOMELESSNESS
Knapp said it is very likely that students who work in health care will come into contact with safety net programs and those they serve. Knapp said it is important to understand the health care safety net because it is in their own backyard, adding that students do not have travel internationally to experience providing health care with limited resources. They have the opportunity to experience this in the United States, said Knapp.
the course, she requires students to conduct a service-learning project in the community. About ten students from the spring 2015 semester chose to work with homeless support groups in State College. Foley-DeFiore said that environmental health is more than pollution and toxins. It includes things such as housing and jobs, or the lack thereof, in a community. “We are all part of a community, and the health of the community affects all of us,” said Foley-DeFiore.
There are a growing number of homeless who are single mothers, children, and working adults, and this adds to the wide variety of health concerns that must be addressed. It would be very hard for students to avoid this population, so it is better that they learn about their needs.
The service-learning project was aimed at having students think about issues that they had not considered health issues before. “Students are familiar with looking at alcohol, drugs, and obesity as health issues,” she said. “The issues that the homeless face or some of the causes that create homelessness are also health issues.” The students were required to complete a literature review and research before spending about twenty hours in the field. This is where students had their eyes opened, said Foley-DeFiore.
– Caprice Knapp, Research Associate Professor “The safety net system is quite complex and comprehensive, and I think students would be surprised how much is available for the safety net population, but also how much more is needed,” said Knapp. “Learning about, and ultimately embracing this population, is the goal.” JoAnn Foley-DeFiore is an instructor in the Department of Biobehavioral Health who teaches a class in environmental health. As a part of
“They could not believe the humanity of what they saw,” she said. “Some of them were married, some of them had degrees, some were giving students advice. I think that was the thing that most struck students: they thought they were going to help a helpless part of the community, but they discovered that each person had value.” In their projects, many students explored the reality of homelessness, some of the causes, and the human aspect of homelessness.
“As a society, we are missing what a homeless person could bring to community by devaluing them, by having them be so invisible,” she said. A key reason that Foley-DeFiore offered working with homeless support groups as an option was the large number of her students who will work in the health care system and treat people who are homeless. A student in Foley-DeFiore’s class who worked with homeless support organizations was Jenny Oh ’15 BBH. She worked with a State College group called Hearts for Homeless. Oh said that it was important for her to understand the homeless population because it is a serious problem that, if better understood and supported, could help improve the quality of life for a large number of people. “They are our neighbors, and I’d be concerned if my friends or close neighbors got sick,” said Oh. “It’s the same thing for them.” Oh said she wanted to learn about what it was like to be homeless so that she could become part of the solution. Ginny Poorman, director of Hearts for Homeless, said the homeless crisis in America is a huge problem.
JoAnn Foley-DeFiore (second from left) speaks with some of her teaching assistants before class.
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“It absolutely delights us when students who volunteered with us will go on to get jobs elsewhere and may volunteer or work at homeless shelters
Blair Weikel (left), a senior in the College of Health and Human Development, works with Ginny Poorman, Hearts for Homeless founder, (center) and Ashton Munoz, assistant director, in the Hearts for Homeless daytime drop-off center in downtown State College.
in their areas,” said Poorman. “Having student volunteers who genuinely care not only benefits us and our clients, but it benefits the students because they get a lot of hands-on experience.”
Weikel is pursuing a career in community and public health, and she said that any population that is represented in a community is important to her health care goals.
Poorman said students assist with many administrative tasks, but more importantly, they build relationships with the organization’s homeless clients.
Weikel said that the experience opened her eyes to the huge range of factors that can affect a person’s mental, emotional, physical, and social health, and it allowed her to become aware of all types of community health issues.
“Students connect with clients through support services, such as helping balance a checkbook as well as having conversations about some really hard stuff that our clients face, such as alcoholism, abuse, drug use, and affordable housing,” said Poorman. “The clients are really eye-opening for the students, and we often hear, ‘These people aren’t what I expected. They’re just like my dad or uncle or friend.’” Blair Weikel, who is double majoring in Biobehavioral Health and Community, Environment, and Development, found a deep connection to Hearts for Homeless through Foley-DeFiore’s class. She said working there was one of the greatest experiences of her college years. In fact, she continued to volunteer on a regular basis after her project was complete.
I believe all people are important, and people in the homeless population that experience health issues are often the ones that need health care professionals and assistance the most. I want to work toward establishing healthy communities that work together, and the homeless in all communities need to be a part of that. – Blair Weikel, senior, Biobehavioral Health
“I could never have expected this to be what I would get out of a class project,” said Weikel, who added that before she started, she was afraid of what she was going to find at the homeless shelter. “I can say that what I encountered was not at all what I expected.”
“I encountered so many people that have simply fallen on hard times with no support,” said Weikel. “Most of these people have so much knowledge and experience. They just ended up where any of us would if we lacked support systems.” —Kevin Sliman
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It was that ‘ah-ha’ moment; this is what I want to do. I was in the process of choosing a college major, debating between education and nursing, and I found a nice combination of the two with speech therapy. – Maggie Lamb, Communication Sciences and Disorders
ourstory y/ Read our stories at hhd.psu.edu/our-story
I was able to connect my work experience to the classroom. I like it because it is a traditional classroom and lecture, but at the same time it’s different. It puts you out there and is more hands-on. The information is not dry. You’re always learning something new and gaining a new appreciation. It’s cool to see everything unfold. – Stephen Edwards, Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management
Caring Compassion Over the past decade, research on understanding and nurturing health and well-being has continued to advance. Mindfulness, compassion, and confidence can lead individuals to experience everyday life in a calmer, more balanced, peaceful, and healthy way. The college is taking a lead on this topic by addressing these issues through professorships, lectureships, initiatives, courses, and research.
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Inspiration for Caring Compassion PEACE program invests in youth An initiative housed in the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, the Program on Empathy, Awareness and Compassion in Education (PEACE) aims to promote health and well-being in children, youth, and families through the scientific understanding and the promotion of awareness, compassion, and empathy. The work of PEACE is guided by the central conviction that awareness, compassion, and empathy are core dimensions of human nature that contribute to personal development and health. Established in 2009, the PEACE initiative includes faculty, research associates, and students whose work focuses on developing a strong multidisciplinary science in this emerging area. It is the first integrated research and outreach program at a major university that focuses on the study and cultivation of these qualities in children, youth, and families. “There is a lot of discussion on the mental health of students,” said Mark Greenberg, Edna Peterson Bennett Endowed Chair in Prevention Research and professor of human development and psychology. “And the College of Health and Human Development is taking it seriously.” PEACE supports interdisciplinary scholarly activities ranging from basic research on the development of awareness, compassion, and empathy, to the design and rigorous evaluation of interventions intended to foster these attributes in individuals and relationships. Interventions that nurture these abilities have shown promise for reducing an array of psychological problems including anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and other health outcomes. Such interventions also have reduced negative physical and psychological responses to stress. They have also been shown to increase focus and attention as assessed by directly observing brain activity. “Nurturing awareness, compassion, and empathy has the potential to improve the quality of relationships and the well-being of others,” Greenberg said.
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“We certainly need more compassion in the world. If it can be taught, then that’s quite an important development.” — Edna Bennett Pierce
Endowed Professorship of Caring and Compassion Awareness, compassion, and empathy contribute to and result from personal well-being and interpersonal experiences that nurture strong, authentic, and life-enhancing relationships. Promoting these qualities in children, youth, and caregivers (parents, teachers) is essential to promoting well-being, strengthening families, and building cohesive communities. To further the mission of PEACE and continue to infuse the concept of care and compassion throughout curricula in the college, Edna Bennett Pierce ’53 H EC recently created the Endowed Professorship of Caring and Compassion. “Educators spend energy teaching facts,” said Pierce. “Care and compassion is much more nebulous than that. It’s hard to put a finger on it. It’s one of the most important issues in the world and yet in very few places is it being taught or stressed. I just see this professorship as a very far-reaching way to do it.” The appointment, to be designated as the Bennett Pierce Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, will provide leadership to the PEACE initiative. Of the ideal candidate, Greenberg said, “We are particularly interested in a faculty colleague who has broad experience in the field of prevention science and may have further background in public health, education, psychology, neuroscience, or a related field. Qualifications include experience in both basic research and intervention studies that promote caring and compassion.”
“While numerous centers on mind-body health for adults have developed at major universities, there has been little focus on children and youth or the cultivation of these attributes in the early and most malleable stages of development.” — Mark Greenberg
Bennett Pierce Fellowship “Life well lived has to be shared and done with love and compassion,” said Edna Bennett Pierce. For Pierce, improving children’s lives through prevention science is a personal passion. Working hand in hand with Mark Greenberg, she has found different ways to strengthen the focus on caring and compassion in the college. Pierce has recently endowed the Bennett Pierce Fellowship, which will support graduate students studying human health and development issues related to care and compassion. “This fellowship is helping students go outside themselves and see themselves in the larger world picture,” Pierce said. Research supports this motivation. “There is a stream of knowledge that links the ability to be caring and compassionate with neurobiological processes that are directly influenced by the social environment,” said Diana H. Fishbein, C. Eugene Bennett Chair in Prevention Research, Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center. “The Bennett Pierce Fellowship builds on emerging evidence that care and compassion are the core components of all effective interventions,” Fishbein said. “Together, this evidence and existing research suggests that we can instill these abilities in children, families, and communities to improve outcomes on a population level.” “This fellowship will, in that regard, significantly build on this program of research, and by funding graduate students conducting research in care and compassion, potentially lead to new approaches to address social and individual ills,” Fishbein said.
Lectureship bolsters discussion on awareness, mindfulness When and how does a child learn to be kind and compassionate, and what can communities, schools, teachers, and parents do to nurture these essential qualities? Mark Greenberg, holder of the Edna Peterson Bennett Endowed Chair in Prevention Research, explores these questions as a social scientist by developing processes that promote healthy social and emotional development in children. With the launch of the Prevention Research Center’s PEACE program, Greenberg and his wife, Christa Turksma, who researches and teaches mindfulness skills, will be using their own philanthropy to bring thought leaders in this field to Penn State. Greenberg, the founding director of the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, and Turksma are committing funds to establish the Lectureship on Compassion, which will provide a yearly forum for outstanding researchers in the areas of awareness, compassion, and empathy to share their findings and perspective. Greenberg and Turksma believe these public events enhance the knowledge of investigators and students, raise the visibility of this research, and promote scholarly interest in an area that is proven to contribute to personal well-being and strong, life-enhancing relationships. “While numerous centers on mind-body health for adults have developed at major universities, there has been little focus on children and youth or the cultivation of these attributes in the early and malleable stages of development,” said Greenberg. “Christa and I want to build on Edna’s amazing legacy of support for this work and provide a venue for expanding its impact even further.” The first lecture, scheduled for March 17, 2016, will feature Richard J. Davidson, the William James and Vilas Research Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry, director of the Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior, and founder of the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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CARING AND COMPASSION
Courses reinforce, prepare students with care and compassion Long-standing ‘Helping Relationship’ course teaches students counseling skills Often cited as a major influence on the personal growth of students, a long-standing course offered by the Department of Human Development and Family Studies has always had care and compassion at its core. The Helping Relationship (HDFS 411) was developed at Penn State by Anthony D’Augelli, professor of human development and family studies, and Steve Danish, professor emeritus of psychology and behavioral health at Virginia Commonwealth University. Offered continuously for more than forty years, the course is aimed at helping students develop a foundation for becoming effective helpers, to understand the definition of specific skills and the rationale for their use, and to use these skills appropriately in helping interactions. “When I think of care and compassion, I think it is integrated in every HDFS course,” says Jennifer Crissman Ishler, senior instructor of human development and family studies, who currently teaches HDFS 411. “After all, our major is about helping people lead healthier, happier, more productive lives. The Helping Relationship course highlights those skills because it is a skills-based course—undergraduate students are learning basic counseling skills and techniques.” “This course can be seen as a significant personal growth experience for students, since use of the helping skills in other contexts, such as with friends or relatives, will enhance relationships,” Crissman Ishler said.
Students in long-term care course learn management techniques of assisted, independent living services In the Department of Health Policy and Administration, Instructor Christina Daley teaches Health Care and Medical Needs, a long-term care management course that focuses on managing services within the long-term care continuum, such as independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing facilities, and community-based services. “Compassionate care is based on establishing a relationship, one of trust and empathy,” Daley said. “To do so, we need to have an understanding of the patient’s perspective and communicate within that context.” The student population in the course consists of a variety of health professionals, including nursing, pre-med, health policy and administration, biobehavioral health, human development and family studies, and students who are interested in health care but not quite sure which profession.
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Research in social, emotional functions adds to the growing field of care and compassion Program created to help develop compassion in the classroom Along with his colleagues, Mark Greenberg, Edna Peterson Bennett Endowed Chair in Prevention Research and professor of human development and psychology, is evaluating a program called Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education (CARE), a program designed to cultivate teachers’ inner resources to deal with daily stresses and support their students. Christa Turksma is one of the developers of CARE. “Teachers who are better able to manage stress may become more mindful, which can improve their mental health, and therefore their quality of teaching,” Greenberg said. During the 2015-16 school year, CARE is being used by nearly 300 teachers in New York City schools.
Caring for the caregiver A longitudinal study led by Steven Zarit, Distinguished Professor of Human Development and Family Studies, suggests that for those caring for a loved one with dementia, getting regular breaks can be beneficial to health. “People in long-term caregiving situations may have a higher mortality than aged-matched people who are not in these situations,” he said. “We need to support these caregivers.” Adult day service programs are a practical and effective way to reduce health risks for caregivers, while providing a safe and stimulating environment for persons living with Alzheimer’s disease or other chronic illnesses, Zarit said. “If caregivers are supported, they can provide better care to their loved ones,” he said.
When it comes to empathy, every day matters Stephanie Wilson, doctoral candidate in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, found that empathic spouse responses—such as listening and providing comfort and encouragement—in couples with chronic pain improved the daily function for the partner in pain. “To see systemic improvement is really promising. It sides with the notion that empathy is a good thing in people with chronic pain,” Wilson said. “Every day matters when it comes to long-term physical function. How a partner reacts today could affect their spouse a year and a half from now.” — Marjorie Miller
, More than 13,000 undergraduates each year come to Penn State from low-income households. Help them to succeed—and double your impact— with a gift to the Trustee Matching Scholarship Program.
For more than 150 years, Penn State has been committed to creating opportunity. Our land-grant mission demands that we keep our degrees affordable for students from every economic background. Over the last three decades, however, rising costs and declining state support have placed an increasing burden on students and families. Today, many undergraduates work multiple jobs while carrying a full course load, yet students are graduating from the College of Health and Human Development with an average educational debt of more than $39,000. These financial realities are restricting the dreams of far too many students and families. Through the Trustee Matching Scholarship Program, you can become Penn State’s partner in supporting ambitious
and talented undergraduates in financial need. Whether you choose to create your own endowment with a gift of $100,000 or make a gift to a pooled college or campus Trustee Scholarship fund, your support will earn 5 percent of its value—roughly equal to the spendable income from an endowment—from the University every year in perpetuity. When combined with endowment income, this match will double the impact of your giving for generations of Penn State students to come. To learn more, please visit giveto.psu.edu/trustee. For more information, contact: Kathleen Rider Director of Development kmr8@psu.edu 814-865-1064
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