DUS News - December 2, 2019

News: 
Do Minors Matter?

You know that choosing your major is an important decision in your college career; it will shape your education and experiences during your time at Penn State and beyond. But what about your choice of a college minor? Do minors matter? Minors have many benefits, and are great way to enhance your education and explore a new subject. When thinking about your minor choice, it is important to reflect on your goals, interests, and how your minor will complement your major coursework. In addition, some majors at Penn State require a minor. To search Penn State minors, take a look at the Bulletin for inspiration and visit with your adviser to talk about planning a minor!

Entrance to Major

Have you already decided on a major? If so, you may be able to enter that major now. You can declare many Penn State majors as soon as you have earned a 2.00 GPA and completed at least 29.1 credits. This can be done through the "Update Academics" function in LionPATH. To see what the Entrance to Major requirements are for your intended major, visit the "How to Get In" section of the program page for that major in the Bulletin . As soon as you meet the entrance criteria, you can go on to Update Academics on LionPATH to officially declare your major.

Planning on a major with Enrollment Controls? Make sure you take a close look at the Credit Window, GPA requirements, and course requirements. And if you haven’t spoken with your assigned adviser yet about potential Entrance to Major requirements, now would be a great time in the semester to do so. 

Important Dates: 

More events at dus.psu.edu/calendar.

Resource Spotlight: 
Update Academics

Ready to declare your major (and possibly add on a minor)? You can do this through the “Update Academics” page on LionPATH. Visit the LionPATH Help page here for step-by-step instructions on how to change/update/declare a major, minor or certificate: https://tutorials.lionpath.psu.edu/public/S_UpdateAcademics/.  

Update Academics will be unavailable from December 20–January 7.

Events and Announcements: 
Nominate an Excellent Adviser
All Campuses

Now through Friday, December 6, students may nominate advisers for the 2020 Penn State Excellence in Academic Advising Award. Sponsored by the University Advising Council and the Office of Undergraduate Education, the award recognizes and rewards advising excellence.

One award is given annually to a faculty member and one to a professional academic adviser. All current full-time University employees with advising responsibilities and two years of advising experience at Penn State are eligible.

Students who wish to honor an adviser who has helped them navigate the University’s academic system, plan a fulfilling program of study, consider co-curricular experiences, and learn to manage their own educational journey at Penn State are welcome to complete a short, online nomination form.

Advisers selected for the 2020 Excellence in Advising Award will be recognized by the University in the spring.

Try Out the Relaxation Room
University Park

Looking for a quiet place to study? The Relaxation Room, in 20 IM Building, is the perfect location! The space is open Monday–Friday from 8:00–5:00 p.m. In addition to being a quiet study space, you'll find coloring books, a zen sand garden, puzzles, and a comfortable space to take a break, relax, or study. You can use the biofeedback software programs to learn breathing exercises designed to reduce your stress level. We also have a variety of relaxation, stress reduction, mindfulness, and brain massage audio tracks. From November through March, we have light therapy boxes that you can use in the space.

The staff and students from Health Promotion and Wellness hope to see you there!

Join the New Student Orientation OTeam
University Park

Interested in helping the Class of 2024 to join Penn State? Join the Orientation Team! We are seeking diverse, dedicated, enthusiastic, resourceful, and motivated students to join our 2020 Orientation Team (OTeam). New Student Orientation (NSO) begins the transition to Penn State, and the OTeam makes the difference for new students and their families. Members of the OTeam will serve as group facilitators, resource persons, role models, and ambassadors for Penn State during NSO. You can learn more about the Orientation Team by visiting oteam.psu.edu.

Group Advising Sessions
University Park

DUS will be holding Group Advising Sessions throughout the fall semester as a way to discuss popular advising topics with groups of students. These sessions are open to all DUS students and will help you to learn more about the topic and to ask questions in a friendly, open environment. For more information on each session, including dates and times, visit the DUS Group Advising page on our website. All sessions are held in the Grange Building Lobby, unless otherwise listed on the website. Some sessions have multiple dates and locations available.

Sessions include:

  • Exploration Workshop 
  • Interested in Smeal? 
  • Standing Out: Choosing Minors & Involvement Opportunities
  • Improve Your Study Skills
  • What Gen Eds Do I Need?
  • Afraid of Choosing the Wrong Major? 
  • Major and Career Planning
  • Scheduling Tools
  • DUS Students and Study Abroad
Alternative Breaks
All Campuses

Last week, some Penn State students spent fall break engaged in projects that connect their learning to real life. Are you interested in a unique and meaningful experience over a break? If so, check out Penn State Alternative Breaks. The deadline for applications for spring break programs is January 19, 2020.