From the Dean

What does it take to meet our potential? A community.

As we reflect on the 2021-22 academic year and prepare to welcome more than 400 new undergraduate and graduate students in a matter of days, I’ve been thinking a lot about community.

Perhaps you have, too. We all know the impact the COVID pandemic has had on us, including on our work. At Penn State, we’ve experienced the challenges of large organizations in adjusting to remote work and then forging a path back to a more “normal” campus scene. The University also hasn’t been immune to the issues that employees have reported in national surveys, such as heightened stress, feelings of burnout and isolation. Penn State students have also reported challenges with anxiety, loneliness and motivation.

The anecdote, in great measure: Community.

Although the research is overwhelming, we also know this intuitively: Strong connections and a deep sense of belonging to a group with common interests are critical to our wellbeing, productivity and happiness. Especially during what we’ve all experienced since 2020.

Even better: Community with purpose.

In this issue of our Annual Report, I think you’ll see evidence that the Bellisario College — its faculty, staff, students, and the many alumni who are engaged with us — has been such a community. And during tough times, we have drawn on that strength and thrived.

Our unifying purpose last academic year was two-fold. First, we were driven by our mission to prepare students for the professions and for citizenship in a democracy. We did that in the classroom — through the work of faculty members like Steve Manuel (p. 34) — and we did it through our many co-curricular programs.

Our students produced the “46Live” webcast of the Penn State Dance Marathon (THON) for thousands of viewers around the globe, produced digital media for clients across campus as part of CommAgency, and traveled to the Super Bowl to get behind-the-scenes experience in media relations and strategic communication. Our students and faculty also headed overseas as part of our embedded travel courses during the spring and got back into the field to do award-winning work and compete on the national stage.

The second unifying purpose for the Bellisario College was in the launch of our media center. We were determined, despite the challenges and delays presented by COVID, to get our students into their new home and help them thrive. And we did. This wasn’t just a faculty and staff effort, but one that involved the support of our alumni and friends. Many of their names are on the digital donor wall just inside the media center. Others, like that of Dr. Keiko Miwa Ross (p. 14), are in our newsroom and student lounge, where students gather to connect and work. We’re proud of the way our entire community has embraced the center.

As we move into what we trust will be a semester that looks much more like that of Fall 2019 than Fall 2021, we will recommit to our mission, values and goals as a community with purpose.

Thank you for being part of it!

Marie Hardin, Dean