DUS News - March 21, 2022
It’s OK, you can still schedule your classes on your enrollment date. Use the guidelines and resources on the Choose Your Courses page of the DUS website to make your initial schedule. Schedule an appointment with your assigned adviser, even if that appointment is after your enrollment date. During your appointment, you and your adviser will identify any needed alterations. You have until the end of the drop/add period next semester to fine-tune your schedule.
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? 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 Undergraduate Bulletin for inspiration, and visit with your adviser to talk about planning a minor!
Penn State recently adjusted face mask requirements at all locations. A masking requirement remains in effect in classrooms, labs, and other academic and creative spaces at all campuses, regardless of CDC COVID-19 Community Level designation, due to high-density congregation. Academic advising centers (including DUS offices, lobbies, and facilities) are considered academic spaces and therefore require masking.
- March 23 (Wed)
- Career Conversations with HHD Alumni - March 26 (Sat)
- College of EMS EXposition (EMEX) - March 29 (Tues)
- DUS Group Advising - Explore and Find the Right Major - March 30 (Wed)
- Study Smarter Session - March 31 (Thurs)
- EmpoWOMENt Summit
The Division of Undergraduate Studies is devoted to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all of our students. It is with great pleasure that DUS introduces the DUS Diversity webpage. This new online resource will help you connect with college and identity-specific campus resources, find inspiration from peers, and cultivate your Penn State community.
Visit https://dus.psu.edu/diversity for more information.
The Division of Undergraduate Studies is excited to announce the launch of our new diversity webpage. On the webpage, you will find diversity, equity, and inclusion resources, inspiration from peers, thoughts from our staff, and ways of connecting to the larger Penn State community. Included in this effort is an option for you to Connect with us” for help navigating cultural difficulties, exploring your identities, feeling seen and heard, and more.
What do “diversity, equity, and inclusion” mean to us?
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are at once incredibly simple and profoundly complex concepts, goalposts, and action items. Let’s define our terms.
- Diversity can be thought of as everything you are—identity markers, life experiences, ways of thinking and being—and everything that you are not. Diversity grows in an environment where respect, acceptance, and valuing are abundant, and where everyone can come with their full self and expect to be listened to and included.
- Inclusion is bringing everyone into the fold. It takes the diversity that is present and creates policies that allow everyone to be successful, cultivates a community that allows everyone to be—and feel—valued and heard, and provides equitable influence in key decisions.
- Equity is helping everyone get their needs met, proactively addressing barriers to success, and dismantling systems that contribute to unjust outcomes. It is creating the circumstances, policies, community, and support necessary to ensure that everyone is able to achieve their definition of success.
In DUS, diversity, equity, and inclusion are hallmarks of our work with all students and the larger Penn State community. We are here to support you as you discover what the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion mean for you and your journey. Remember, we are Penn State… and we cannot be Penn State without you.
Shana Clarke
Assistant Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The Division of Undergraduate Studies
Interested in a program in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences? Come to Deike Building on Saturday, March 26 from 8:15-1:15 for the College's EXposition. The Earth and Mineral Sciences EXposition (EMEX) is the College’s annual student-run Open House. All high school students, current Penn State students, and transfer students who are considering an EMS major are invited to attend. Faculty, staff, students, and alumni will provide an overview of majors, minors, and certificates, and will share opportunities for co-curricular involvement, research, internships, and career possibilities.
Register and learn more on the EMEX website.
Join the College of Health and Human Development alumni society to learn about the various ways an HHD degree can lead to your professional goals. This interactive Zoom session will help illustrate that the skills learned in HHD are transferable to an endless amount of career opportunities and demonstrate how there is not a singular path to get where you want to go!
Wednesday, March 23, 2022, 7:00–8:00 p.m. Registration required
Have a question that can be resolved in a short 5–10 minute conversation? Join us for quick question advising via Zoom on the dates and times below. Some acceptable topics include: discussing adding/dropping courses within deadlines; getting a form signed; using LionPATH; reviewing entrance-to-major requirements; learning about general education information not related to schedule planning; and transferring credits. Quick question advising is not intended for in-depth conversations.
In case you missed it, we've made a few small changes to our Quick Question Advising (QQA) process at University Park and want you to know about them.
- All QQA is now held only via Zoom during the hours listed below. Note that this only applies to University Park. Each campus advising office manages appointments differently.
- After you check in to the waiting room using the link below, check your Penn State email continuously for an "Adviser is Ready" notification with connection instructions for Zoom. Join the Zoom room immediately upon receiving the email.
QQA hours for spring 2022:
| Monday | 1:00–3:00 p.m. |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 9:00–11:00 a.m. |
| Wednesday | 1:00–3:00 p.m. |
| Thursday | 1:00–3:00 p.m. |
| Friday | No quick question advising. |
Click here to sign in to QQA waiting room - Please note that a DUS Adviser is only available during the times listed above. All times are Eastern Time.
DUS will be holding group advising sessions throughout the 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 https://dus.psu.edu/group-advising. All sessions will be held via Zoom.
Upcoming Spring 2022 Session
March 29, 8:00 p.m.: Explore and Find the Right Major for You
DUS has an ongoing goal to ensure that all DUS students have access to quality academic advising. To enhance and strengthen how we support you through academic advising, we invite you to complete a brief survey. We value your thoughts and will use the information gathered to carefully assess and further develop our approach to supporting students. Your voice matters, so please take a few moments to complete the survey. Thank you.
Join the Student's Restorative Justice Initiative as they present Restorative Circles. Restorative practices create space for dialogue that builds community and affirms the humanity of all involved. Sessions are held in 236 Chambers from 6:00–7:30 p.m. on the following dates:
March 31 - Forgiveness
April 14 - Sexual Assault
April 28 - Religion/Spirituality
Learn more and register online.
Are you passionate about helping others? Do you want to gain valuable workplace skills? Apply to be an academic peer mentor. Mentors will:
- learn and implement active listening and motivational interviewing skills
- discover how to build a successful mentoring relationship and make appropriate referrals
- help mentees with time management, study-skill development, and more
- learn how to set and maintain appropriate boundaries while fostering a nurturing mentoring relationship
Interested? Get started in four easy steps:
- Complete the APMP application online by April 15. Keep Mondays and Wednesdays, 2:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. open on your fall 2022 schedule.
- Earn a B or higher in a one-credit preparatory course.
- Attend a mentorship interview.
- Begin mentoring students.
For questions about the program or the class, contact spc83@psu.edu.