DUS News - November 6, 2017
Diversity Makes Us Smarter and Able to Work Harder
According to the PEW Research Center, Americans are more racially and ethnically diverse than in the past and women’s role in the labor force and leadership positions has grown tremendously. Moreover, Penn State has made a commitment to making Penn State a place that embraces human diversity. How do you benefit from this diversity? Professor Katherine Phillips at Columbia Business School argues that diversity makes us smarter and able to work harder. She also explains how diversity improves creativity and leads to better results. See this article highlighting Phillip’s findings. Even better—engage with others who are unlike you by attending events, connecting with organizations, or joining conversations about diversity.
Are You a Lizard or a Learner?
Now is a time of year when you might come up against some academic challenges. How you handle those challenges matters a lot! Will you let your brain default into lizard mode, or will you harness that challenge to learn something new? The amygdala – or lizard brain—is the part of the brain that controls basic survival instincts. External stress (like being hunted by a lion, or facing exam grades and entrance to major requirements) triggers that lizard brain into doing things that might not be your best options. The best learners let their lizard brain fears indicate when there is an opportunity for growth and harness that primal fear to take smart, human action. Your academic adviser can help you think through these challenges, and look for the learning opportunities they present.
Late Drop Deadline is November 10
You should consult with an academic adviser if you’re considering late dropping a course to fully consider the ramifications for your degree progress, financial arrangements, and potential opportunities. The Late-Drop Checklist can help you think through the potential consequences of dropping a course prior to your advising conversation. Be sure to read up on Late Course Drop policies.
- October 27–November 16
Spring 2018 registration for most DUS students - Monday, November 6
Student Engagement EXPO - Tuesday, November 7
Election Day - Friday, November 10
Late Drop Deadline - November 19–27
Thanksgiving Break - No Classes
More events at dus.psu.edu/calendar.
Wondering where you can find a comprehensive list of Diversity and Inclusion events going on at Penn State?
Check out the All In Calendar!
Get even more from the All In Website!
Need to refresh your memory on how to schedule your classes for next semester? Come to one of the sessions below and meet with members of the DUS Leadership Council for a LionPATH refresher and other scheduling tips! Bring your laptop and learn how to enroll in courses for spring, put a course on the wait list, plan a swap, and more!
Pollock Commons:
- Tuesday, November 7, 5:00–6:30 p.m.
Findlay Commons:
- Wednesday, November 8, 5:00–6:30 p.m.
Grange Building Lobby:
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Thursday, November 9, 2:00–4:00 p.m.
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Friday, November 10, 2:00–4:00 p.m.
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Monday, November 13, 2:00–4:00 p.m.
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Tuesday, November 14, 2:00–4:00 p.m.
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Wednesday, November 15, 2:00–4:00 p.m.
The Division of Undergraduate Studies offers scholarships to students in sophomore standing (at any campus) who have a cumulative grade point average above a 3.50 (if that’s you, please apply!). The scholarship is awarded to three current DUS students and consists of recognition with the Division of Undergraduate Studies and a $1,000.00 scholarship. Visit the DUS scholarship page to learn more and apply.
Want the opportunity to make a face-to-face connection with a representative from each of the colleges at University Park while asking questions and finding out about the majors, minors, and special programs your college has to offer? Come to the College Corner, held every Wednesday from 1–4 p.m. in the Grange Building Lobby. Each week, a different college will have a representative present to answer general questions and provide information about their college. Note that this time is not expected to be for individual advising, but is intended for general information gathering.
This week's representative is from the Eberly College of Science.
Come check out the DUS Multicultural Involvement Fair! This is a great opportunity for DUS students to learn about Penn State’s many multicultural organizations and network with peers while enjoying some INSOMNIA COOKIES!! Participating students can also be entered into a drawing to win gift cards to places like Kiwi Yogurt and other local businesses.
The DUS Multicultural Fair will be held in the Grange building lobby on November 6, 7, and 9 from 10 a.m.–12 p.m. and 1 p.m.–3 p.m.
If you’re looking for a great way to gain leadership experience next summer, check-out the DUS Peer Mentor position. The DUS Peer Mentor team will play an important role in helping to promote a positive awareness of the exploratory educational experience and well-informed decision making before entering colleges/majors. To learn more about the role, visit https://dus.psu.edu/dus-peer-mentor or apply via the PSU jobs website at https://psu.jobs/job/74237
If you have any questions, direct them to Courtney Karmelita at cec5032@psu.edu.
Interested in helping join the Class of 2022 to Penn State? Join the Orientation Team! We are seeking diverse, dedicated, enthusiastic, resourceful, and motivated students to join our 2018 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.
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. All sessions are held in the Grange Building Lobby.
November 16: Goal Setting and Decision Making. What Do You Want To Accomplish at Penn State?
Interested in learning more about the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences? Come to 22 Deike Building on Tuesday, November 7 at 6:00 p.m. and join current students to learn about majors and minors in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. Students will share their unique experiences in majors, minors, internships, global experiences, research, and more!
Open to all students at all campus locations! Refreshments available!
Attend in person or online via Zoom: https://psu.zoom.us/j/158547326
John Urschel, former Penn State football player, will visit Penn State Harrisburg on Wednesday Nov. 8 to share his journey of where a love of math has taken him and where it can take students. He will explain how math extends far beyond the confines of the classroom and into everyday life. Read the full story for all the details.
Come learn about the Student Engagement Network during their Student Engagement EXPO. This event is open to all students, faculty and staff and takes place on Monday, November 6in the Freeman Auditorium in the HUB. A full schedule of events can be found on the event website. Check out the new Engagement Space, view poster sessios, listen to lightning talks and hear the Keynote Speaker, Susan Russell talk about what it means to be engaged.
State of State is now accepting student speakers for their 2018 conference, who will deliver a 10-15 minute TED style talk about an issue of their choice at the university. For this year's conference, we are specifically interested in free speech on campus, violence on campus, the impact of technology on the lives of students, and the effect of world events on minority community members. If you think you can talk about one of these topics, apply to talk at State of State 2018! Application deadline is Thursday, November 9th. Don't miss this opportunity to speak about something you're passionate in! Application can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/y7fuj7yw
State of State’s mission is to provide a platform for ideas about Penn State, from Penn State. During the conference, to be held on February 3rd, 2018, organizes will be engaging students, faculty, alumni, and the State College community in a dialogue about the state of the University. Visit the State of State website for more information about this organization and how to get involved!